A 40-year-old Welbedacht father of six, Abdur Rahmaan (Raymond) was allegedly kidnapped and brutally assaulted before his lifeless body was dumped at the RK Khan Hospital. His family said that they were devastated following his traumatic death. Police confirmed that it was at the hands of members from the Welbedacht East Community Police Forum (CPF).
It is alleged that Rahmaan’s hands and legs were broken, and he was brutally beaten. His family claimed that the suspects visited their home in search of two five-litre bottles of cooking oil as well as two school bags, which they alleged the deceased stole.
The wife of the deceased, Merelyn Chinsamy, said that their family is struggling to come to terms with the senseless killing of her husband.
“My children and I are unable to sleep at night or eat peacefully because we keep recalling what happened to my husband. We now fear for our lives because the accused are prominent members of the community who are expected to protect us. Also, in our religion, post-mortems are not believed in, but we had no choice but to go through with it,” she said.
Ramond was described as a loving, caring, and kind person who always made people laugh and smile. He used to clean people’s yards and fix items for a living. He enjoyed listening to music and playing chess. The father leaves behind six children, two boys and four girls, with his youngest child being autistic coupled with other health complications.
Recalling the incident, Chinsamy said: “When they came and approached us at our house two days before my husband’s death, they claimed that two five-litre bottles of oil and two school bags had gone missing. On that day, they also came inside the house and searched for the items, which they did not find. We were told by the community that they caught and held him hostage on the next day.
“They then took him to my sister’s house, handcuffed, with his hands and legs already broken. They were forcing him to say where he had sold the items. He told them he hadn’t taken anything, so he couldn’t tell them where he had sold the items. They refused to listen to him and started hitting him with blocks, before telling him to get into the boot of their vehicle. When he explained that he couldn’t do that due to his injuries, he was thrown into the boot, and they left with him,” claimed Chinsamy.
“After about 20 minutes, they came to my house and forced us to take out the oil and school bags, but we didn’t have anything. They searched our house and threatened us with guns, even looking at my young son with anger and saying he was a thief. They also told us they would remove us from our house, throw our belongings and us onto the road, and that they would come back for us and bring women to beat us. They then left with my husband. My children and I were terrified, and we still have sleepless nights, as the suspects are on bail, and we do not know what they could do to us.”
The swift action taken by the Chatsworth detective tracing team resulted in the arrest of three suspects.
Captain Cheryl Pillay, communications officer of SAPS Chatsworth, said: “It is alleged that on Thursday, 23 January, the victim, who resided in the Welbedacht East area, was accused of stealing from residents. The victim was forcefully taken by the alleged suspects, placed in a vehicle, and then assaulted.”
“Later that night, the victim was dropped at RK Khan Hospital, where he died. Investigators acted swiftly, viewing footage that established the identity of the perpetrators. They proceeded to a residence in Welbedacht East, where the vehicle used in the commission of the offence was recovered and seized for investigation.”
On Monday, 27 January, three suspects handed themselves over to the police and on Tuesday, 28 January, Siphiwe Goodman Ncama (45), Kaylen Brandon Govender (28), and Simphiwe Ndomiso Skhosana (30) appeared at the Chatsworth Magistrates’ Court. They were granted bail until their next appearance.
Police confirmed that the accused are members of the Welbedacht East Community Police Forum. The station commander, Brigadier Ruth De Villiers, commended the team for their commitment and dedication. She said the team worked meticulously, applying their investigative knowledge, which resulted in the arrest and recovery of exhibits.
“A life lost is a life too many. Police are appealing to the community not to take the law into their own hands. Stakeholders who are partners with the police must act within the parameters of the law,” she said.
A family member, who wishes to remain anonymous for safety reasons, said that although there is nothing they could say to bring Rahmaan back to his family, they feel like the law has failed them.
“Hats off to the Chatsworth police for their investigation and swift arrest. However, upon the court appearance, the accused received bail, which is utterly sad. The law now tells us that if you take someone’s life, you just need R1 500 for bail. The court actually granted bail to murderers just days after the murder was committed. We are hurt by this, as they should remain in Westville until investigations are complete. Yes, they are not allowed in the area, but we are still living in fear because it is not impossible for them to get to us. We want justice to be served,” they said.
