Family seek justice for alleged killing of son
THE family of a Merebank man who was allegedly badly beaten and then dropped off outside a house, where he later died, are praying for justice.
Sohail Saib, 29, who was unemployed, was allegedly assaulted and dropped off at a property in Indore Road last Wednesday morning.
Raffique Kajah Saib, his father, said that at about 9am, Sohail’s cousin arrived at his home, which is two roads away, shouting “Sohail is dead”.
“He ran into the yard calling out for me to come quickly and that Sohail had been killed. I have difficulty walking so I told him to go call another relative who lives close by to help me go to where Sohail was.
“When we arrived at the house, my child was lying on the ground alongside the car he slept in. I could only see his face at the time – but he was bleeding from his mouth, nose and eyes. The police and paramedics had also arrived and he was declared dead.
“While there, I was told that he had left the house earlier that morning and at about 8.30am, a white van had arrived and someone had dropped him off outside the house and driven-off. I was told he had been badly beaten, but was still alive at that time.”
The distraught father, added: “On the day of his funeral, I saw all the injuries on his body. His entire body had bruises and it looked as if he had been hit on his forehead with the butt of a firearm. We are still waiting for the post-mortem results to find out his exact cause of death.”
Saib said it was alleged that Sohail had been breaking into homes. However, he refuted those claims.
“I am aware that he was stealing from yards – any scrap items which he could sell to feed a
possible drug habit – but I don’t believe that he would break into a house, as people have been saying. But if he did steal, then they should have called the police and had him arrested,” he said.
Saib said Sohail had wanted to live a better life.
“I remember when he came out of jail, he told me, ‘Dad, I don’t want to live this life anymore, I want to change my life’.
“But soon after he was back to his old ways. Even though he was not staying with me as I didn’t condone his behaviour, he would either come by for a meal, sometimes to sleep, or just to greet me and his step-mother.
“We are really struggling to come to terms with his death and the manner in which he was killed.
“No one has the right to take someone else’s life. We want justice for our child and will not give up until the person or people responsible are caught and punished,” he said.
Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo, a provincial police spokesperson, said Wentworth police were investigating a case of murder.