More than two years after former Verulam mayor and farmer Sagadava “Manna” Naidoo was shot and killed, three men were convicted for his murder in the Durban High Court on Thursday.
The 74-year-old, of Canelands, was shot in the head on May 24, 2022. His body was found next to a railway tracks metres from his home.
The accused, Sibongiseni Langa, 30, Clement Nkwanyana, 28, and Ignatius Chihoho, 47, were arrested by warrant officers Bob Pillay, Praveen Sukdeo, Praveed Maharaj and Denver Parbhu of the Provincial Organised Crime Unit.
They were convicted for murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
However, they were acquitted on charges of unlawful possession of a semi-automatic firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.
According to the indictments presented to the court at the start of the trial, senior State advocate Denardo MacDonald said prior to the incident the accused decided and planned to rob and kill Naidoo.
He said a bridge on Naidoo's farm had been damaged and required repairs. On the morning of May 24, 2022, Naidoo enlisted help from Langa and another person, Basopa, to repair it.
MacDonald said unbeknown to Naidoo, the plan to rob and kill him was already in motion, and Nkwanyana and Chihoho were waiting in the nearby bushes.
“At some point, the accused and Basopa accosted the victim and forcibly moved him to his farmhouse where his hands and feet were bound. After removing certain items and cash from the victim’s house, he was then placed in his vehicle (a Toyota Hilux) and taken to a secluded spot where he was executed,” he said.
According to the post-mortem report, the father of nine suffered a gunshot wound to the head.
All three accused pleaded not guilty.
In handing down judgment, Judge Sharmaine Balton said the court was satisfied that the State had proved its case.
She said from the evidence as a whole presented before the court, she could “safely say that the accused and Basopa planned to murder the deceased”.
Velash Lombaard, Naidoo's daughter, who spoke to the POST following the judgment, said: “As a grieving daughter, I am deeply grateful that justice has been served with guilty verdicts for those who so callously and brutally took my dad’s life.”
Lombaard said while no punishment could bring Naidoo back or erase the pain of their loss, she hoped the court imposed the “harshest possible sentence”.
“ This is not born out of bitterness or a desire for revenge, but out of a deep hope that this tragedy can serve as a message to deter others from committing such unspeakable acts.
“My trust now rests in our justice system to deliver a sentence that balances the strength needed to uphold the law with the compassion that reminds us of the value of every life. My dad’s memory deserves nothing less,” she said.
The matter was adjourned for sentencing arguments.