Agonising time for husband of slain wife
THE gruesome image of his beloved wife’s bloodied body will remain embedded in the mind of Jonathan Shunmugum.
His wife Dolly, 62, a mother of two, was found in the lounge of their Nirvana Hills, Northdene home on Monday.
The housewife was murdered during a home invasion.
Shunmugum said he cannot come to terms with her shocking death. The couple had been married for 36 years.
“It all seems like a nightmare that we cannot wake up from. I just recall telling her goodbye and would see her later as I left for work at around 8am. Only a few hours later I received a call to come home as something was wrong.
“My brother-in-law, who lives a few doors away, had called and said something had happened. I thought she had fallen ill as she has diabetes and had fainted. But what I witnessed was something I can never forget,” he said.
Shunmugum said his brother-in-law had found the kitchen gate unlocked and the door wide open when he went to the house at about 3pm.
“He told us the door was open and the gate had been unlocked, which he found strange as she always kept the gate locked. He thought she must have gone into the backyard, but when he checked she wasn’t there. He screamed out for her.
“When she didn’t respond, he felt something was wrong. He entered the house, only to see a blood trail leading into the lounge where he made the discovery.
“When I arrived I found my wife covered in blood and it was visible that she was beaten so badly that six of her teeth were found on the floor.”
Shunmugum said his wife’s cellphone, a laptop and safe were missing.
“They ransacked the bedroom and had emptied a bag that contained clothes, which they must have used to carry our belongings.”
Shunmugum described the grandmother of four as a humble, loving and caring woman who lived for her family.
“She had just returned home last Thursday after visiting our two daughters and grandchildren in Cape Town. She loved her family and she always took care of us,” he said.
“I will never forget her good nature. We would attend church together and she would help me prepare the food that we give to homeless people living on South Beach every Wednesday as part of our outreach programme for the past 20 years.”
Close family friend and community activist Visvin Reddy said that on hearing of the murder he was devastated and outraged.
“What has been done is the most inhumane act, and the police must find these people who have committed such a heinous act and the maximum penalty must be imposed.”
Shunmugum said they were awaiting post-mortem results. Dolly’s funeral is expected to take place on Friday. Police are investigating cases of murder and house robbery.