Durban — Murder accused Bheki Msomi will go on trial for the murder of Chatsworth pensioner Jinsee Ram, 73, in the Durban High Court on Thursday.
Msomi, 42, who had delayed proceedings because he wanted to represent himself, finally accepted the assistance of Legal Aid-appointed attorney S Radebe.
Ram was killed during a robbery in her Kharwastan home in 2020.
According to the State’s summary of substantial facts, Msomi and accomplice Simphiwe Cele had arrived at Ram’s home the night before the robbery. That night the pair, armed with a knife, lay in wait inside Ram’s garage.
In the early hours of the morning of February 18, 2020, the victim’s husband drove off. The accused got an opportunity to make their way into the open house to rob the remaining occupants.
At knifepoint, they robbed the house and strangled the deceased (Ram) to death, stated the summary.
Ram’s daughter, Sangetha Prithipaul, was in the house at the time and witnessed the murder. She was also assaulted.
On Monday Msomi, in an about turn and following eye-opening advice from Judge Mohini Moodley, asked to have another lawyer from the independent board assigned to him, Radebe told the court.
He received the case documentation and statements from Msomi.
“These documents were in a mess and I still have to sort them out so that I can consult with the accused ahead of trial,” he said.
Co-accused Cele, who was arrested at the same time, has been deemed unfit for trial and is currently in a state psychiatric hospital.
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