Justice at last for family
OR the family of slain Howick mother Monika Manilall, the wheels of justice have turned painfully slowly, but have ultimately brought the closure they long hoped for.
Manilall’s ex- husband Sanesh, 43, lost his appeal against his murder conviction and life sentence.
Monika, a mother of two, was shot dead at her home in a contract killing organised by Sanesh, a businessman, and his former second wife, Mumtaz Bergum Osman, 43.
Osman is serving a life sentence at Westville Prison for Monika’s murder.
Monika was carrying her 18-month-old toddler when she was gunned down inside her home in February 2006.
Another accused, Mboniseni Mbatha, 36, is also serving a life sentence for the murder.
The trio were convicted in the Durban High Court by the late judge president of KwaZulu-Natal, Judge Herbert Msimang.
The judge had said it was shocking that Mbatha and two other accomplices, who subsequently died, had accepted to kill Monika for a paltry R10 000.
He admonished Manilall, who married for the third time, for paying the assassins to do his dirty work.
Last week Provincial Appeal Court judge Piet Bezuidenhout ruled that Judge Msimang’s verdict was well reasoned and could not be faulted. Judge Bezuidenhout said the attempt by Manilall to pin the blame on Osman for the planning and execution of the hit had no merit.
‘’She did not visit his matrimonial home.
“Neither did Osman know the address. That leaves the court with the conclusion that the appellant (Manilall) had masterminded the contract killing.”
The dismissal of the appeal was welcomed by Monika’s family.
This week her brother Suren Ramjas, a fitter at a tyre company, said he and his family were relieved that prison would be Manilall’s home for the rest of his life.
“It has been a long and tiring journey but God has answered our prayers,” he said.
“In the space of about five years I lost both my parents.
Monika’s murder and the long-drawn-out case took its toll on them.’’
He said Sanesh spent just seven months in jail before he was granted bail and leave to appeal, by the Supreme Court of Appeal.
“He masterminded the callous crime and must do the time in prison.
“My family and I are grateful to the late Judge Msimang, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, the Provincial Appeal Court and the police for ensuring that my sister’s killers got their just desserts. “We finally have closure.’’ Suren said one aspect which, however, worried his family, was that they had not interacted with Monika’s two children for several years.
“Sanesh’s mother obtained custody of the children when he was in prison for seven months.
“We kept our distance from him and his family for the sake of peace,” he said.
“We want to bond with the children, but have been unable to do so.”
The Provincial Appeal Court yesterday (Tuesday) extended Manilall’s bail pending leave to appeal in the Supreme Court of Appeal.