2013 bedroom execution accused in court

THE MAN who shot and killed a Phoenix man – possibly a cross-dresser – after chats on social media platform MXit in 2013, appeared in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court this week.

Romano Naidoo, a 28-yearold from Phoenix, has been charged with the murder of Manishvar Ramraj, 34, who, according to media reports, was shot execution-style and found wearing women’s lingerie.

Naidoo also faced charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances and the illegal possession of a firearm.

When he appeared before Magistrate Visha Naidoo on Wednesday, the state laid out its case against him.

The state claimed Naidoo, a shopfitter, arranged to meet at Ramraj’s grandmother’s house on April 9. He allegedly took along a firearm and robbed and killed Ramraj.

When Naidoo got to the house, he and Ramraj went into a bedroom where he allegedly drew his firearm, took Ramraj’s BlackBerry, shot him once in the head and fled. Ramraj died later in hospital. The case was postponed. Naidoo, who was represented by attorney Rajendra Nathalal, will appear before the magistrate again in March.

Navina Ramraj, the sister of the victim, said she was happy with the progress of the case, especially the work done by investigating officer Rajan Govender.

“We chose not to comment before or talk of how and why my brother was killed because we were distraught.

“We left everything in the hands of the police,” Ramraj said.

Of her brother being a cleanshaven cross-dresser found wearing women’s underwear, Ramraj said: “I saw my brother in hospital after he was shot, but I could not see what he was wearing.

“He definitely was not a crossdresser. We were close, he would have told me about that.

“He was to perform a religious dance at a cultural event the week he got shot. So his body was clean-shaven. My brother was a religious man.”