Durban – Chatsworth pensioner Jinsee Ram tried to fight off her employee’s hands wrapped around her throat as he strangled her during a robbery in 2020 where the 73-year-old died.
This was revealed by Mthethunzima ‘Stars’ Mpepho who was one of four assailants who entered the woman’s Kharwastan house with the intent to rob.
Mpepho is now a State’s witness in the case, and he told this to the Durban High Court as he was being cross-examined by the Legal Aid defence lawyer of Bheki Msomi, who is on trial for murder, attempted murder as well as robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Ram’s daughter, Sangetha Prithipaul, had her head banged on the floor during the robbery where R40 000 was taken as well as a laptop and cellphones.
Msomi was initially charged with Simphiwe Cele who was Jinsee’s employee, however Cele was deemed unfit for trial and was sent to a state psychiatric hospital.
During cross-examination by Msomi’s lawyer S Radebe, Mpepho described how Cele manhandled Ram.
“He was holding her by her throat and pushing her down as to strangle her,” he said.
He told Radebe he had not noticed how elderly the woman was when he asked him how elderly she was.
“I did not notice that because as I was seeing what was happening I was also seeing Bheki (Msomi) hitting the girl (Prithipaul) and I was just focused on asking for the money from the girl.”
When Radebe asked whether Ram was doing anything to resist her attack, Mpepho said the elderly woman was trying to fight him off with her hands adding that he had left at that point going to collect the money.
“You didn’t pay attention to what was happening or you simply did not care what was happening to the elderly woman being manhandled by Simphiwe (Cele), you were just focused on the money,” asked Radebe.
The cross-examination continues on Tuesday.
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