A 57-year-old man is facing charges of murder after allegedly shooting and killing a suspected robber who had broken into his home.
The communications officer of Chatsworth SAPS, Captain Cheryl Pillay, said on 14 January, Nandha Gopalan Naicker appeared at the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court on charges of murder with the second count of being in possession of an unlicensed firearm.
“It is alleged that on 13 January, an alleged burglar was shot at Cashew Place in Crossmoor, where he demised. At the crime scene, police seized a Browning pistol where police established that the accused was in possession of an unlicensed firearm which was used in the commission of the offence,” added Capt Pillay.
Naicker was granted bail of R2 000 and is set to re-appear in court in March. Following the incident, Chatsworth Community Policing Forum is urging residents to adhere to the rule of the law and to follow advice from law enforcement officials on how to deal with home intruders.
Chatsworth Community Policing Forum chairperson, Jakes Singh, said while it is imperative that one safeguards his family and community, the manner in which situations are handled has to be within the ambit of the law.
“We, as the CPF, have been encouraging residents to join the neighbourhood watches and street watches to ensure that criminals are driven out of our communities. The tried and proven way for crime eradication is when a community stands together and with one voice. We need to say ‘no’ to crime and not go against the law or take the law into our own hands. With adrenaline heightened in the case of a break-in, you may want to reach for something you can use as a weapon such as an actual firearm, pepper spray or other object like a pan, knife or crow bar. This is unsafe. Attempting to intimidate an intruder can end up in retaliation. Your weapon could be used against you or the intruder may be armed and act out of response causing harm to you or someone else you live with. As tough as it may be to think clearly while a stranger is at your residence, take a deep breath and think about your options before trying to confront the intruder, whether you’re armed or not,” said Singh.
Naicker was unavailable to provide a comment regarding his arrest, however, his family members said he was advised by his attorney to not speak about the incident.
