Lamborghini arsonist a ‘danger to society’
A WEALTHY businessman whose R2 million Lamborghini was torched in the basement of his upmarket apartment building says he will not live his life looking over his shoulder.
Speaking to POST this week, Priven Reddy, 35, chief executive of Kagiso Interactive Media, an international advanced software development company, said he wanted the law to run its course.
Speculation is rife that the person responsible for the September 16 incident is a man who believes Reddy is dating his ex-girlfriend – a local actress and model. Denying any involvement with the woman, Reddy – speaking in the presence of his attorney Nashira Hansraj – said if the culprit is who he suspected it to be, he was not only a danger to Reddy, but to society as a whole.
This was not the first time he had run-ins with the alleged perpetrator, he said: “In July this year he verbally abused me and I opened up a case (of intimidation) at the Durban North SAPS.”
Since then he had been a victim of many verbal abuse attacks, he said.
The alleged perpetrator, he claimed, had been boasting to friends about burning the sports car.
By time of publication, no one had been arrested. Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said a case of malicious damage to property was being investigated.
Reliving the incident, Reddy, who lives in the Pearls of Umhlanga apartment complex, said a security guard had told him his car was on fire at about 7.30pm and he rushed down to find the parking area filled with smoke.
“I asked the guard if the control room had tried to extinguish the fire. I then grabbed fire hoses and tried to extinguish the fire myself. I was afraid that all the other cars would catch alight.”
Reddy said they called the fire department, but it was the same day the city was hit by destructive gale force winds and the Phoenix fire station was only able to respond 45 minutes later. “By this time another security guard and I had managed to douse the flames.”
Reddy said his anger didn’t stem from the fact that his car was burnt, but for the blatant disregard for life. “The building could have come down. We have children living in those apartments.”
He has hired a private investigator to get to the bottom of the case.
“I refuse to hire protection and look over my shoulder. I don’t have to live that way,” he said.
“People who pose a danger to society must be removed and get the help they deserve.”