FOUR MEN TO STAND TRIAL FOR KIDNAP AND MURDER OF UNIVERSITY LECTURER

The Durban High Court has set a trial date for four men accused of kidnapping and murdering long-serving Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) lecturer Chanlall Shan Dwarika (63).

Siyabonga Mahaye (35), Thobani Mhlongo (23), Kwanele Makhaye (29), and Sihle Mkhize (23) are charged with kidnapping and robbery, while Mhlongo and Mkhize are charged with Dwarika's murder. The trial is set run from October 7 to November 1.

The MUT electrical engineering lecturer was allegedly abducted near Maynard Road, in Sea Cow Lake in Durban, on May 28, 2023.

His body was found on June 3 in bushes in the Inanda area.

CCTV footage captured in the area of his abduction emerged two days later, showing three men allegedly confronting Dwarika before forcing him into the rear seat of his vehicle.

The four were arrested after they were traced to an informal settlement in Springfield, where they had allegedly used Dwarika’s bank card to buy alcohol.

According to the indictment, Dwarika owned a house in Sea Cow Lake but lived at another house, with his wife, in Verulam.

He was in the process of renovating the Sea Cow Lake house as he had intended to sell it, and allowed Mahaye, Mhlongo and Makhaye to stay at the property on condition that they kept the house secure from theft, which had been a problem, and helped with the renovations.

“Despite them residing at the property, the thefts continued and on May 26, 2023, the deceased arrived and [evicted] them from his property,” the indictment said.

“On May 28, 2023, the deceased visited his property driving his black Honda SUV to effect certain repairs, to install a security gate to secure the property, which was when the three accosted him and forced him into the rear seat of his vehicle and drove off with him.

“He was forced to relinquish his ATM pin code and ATM card at various places and the accused withdrew cash and effected purchases in varying amounts.

“At some stage that night, they drove to a place in Inanda and they forced the deceased into a bushy area where he was forced to the ground and his throat was slit.”

A post-mortem examination of his body established the cause of death as a “slashing injury to the neck”.

Judge Jacqueline Henriques adjourned the matter for trial to the high court in Scottburgh.