Police officers ‘kidnapped’ Phoenix man, court hears

AN INDEPENDENT Police Investigative Directorate investigator testified yesterday that witnesses heard a police officer, accused of the kidnapping and murder of a former SA Navy seaman, say: “You’ve got 15 minutes to sort him out”, prior to the victim being set alight.

Zimisele Hlophe was testifying during the bail application of brothers Anben and Sugendran Chinsamy, Sathasiven Reddy and Phoenix police officers Theagen Naidoo and Triston Pillay in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Seelan Pillay died on May 12 after being assaulted and set alight.

It is alleged that the accused had kidnapped Seelan and accused him of stealing a grass-cutting machine.

In affidavits, read out by defence attorney Chris Gounden, both Naidoo and Triston denied any knowledge of the kidnapping and murder.

However, in his testimony yesterday, Hlophe alleged the officers, dressed in police uniform, picked up Seelan from Redfern Road, handcuffed him and drove off.

He said witnesses then placed the same vehicle where Anben and Reddy reside, in Berrystone Road.

Hlophe said witnesses reported that Triston told the other accused they had “15 minutes to sort him out” before he left with Naidoo.

Hlophe said Anben took Seelan, on foot, to Reddy’s home where he began beating him before his brothers Sugendran and Reddy arrived 10 minutes later.

Hlophe said that as they continued beating Seelan, about 15 witnesses gathered. He further told how Anben entered Reddy’s room to fetch a container with petrol, which he poured onto the deceased.

“Anben took out a toilet paper roll from his pocket and burnt it, while asking him for the grass cutting machine,” Hlophe said.

According to witnesses, Anben dropped the burning paper to the ground, setting the deceased alight.

The investigator believes that if the court grants the accused bail, it would jeopardise the criminal justice system and cause the community to lose trust in the system.

During cross-examination by Gounden, Hlophe could not confirm witnesses saw a police vehicle at the scene of the kidnapping or crime scene. The bail application was adjourned to tomorrow.