The Durban High Court in KwaZulu Natal sentenced Bheki Msomi (46) to life and 27 years imprisonment for murder, attempted murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances. Msomi committed the crimes in February 2020, in the Chatsworth area. 

According to KZN police spokesman Robert Nentshiunda the deceased Jinsee Ram (73) lived with her husband in Kharwastan. 

Their daughter, Sangeetha Prithipaul lived in Johannesburg but had come to visit her parents before the incident. Msomi knew about Ram and her family from Simphiwe Cele, who worked for them and shared a trusting relationship.

"On the day of the incident, the men together with their co-perpetrators entered Ram's house after her husband had left. Ram was strangled in the presence of her daughter, who was bound, gagged and severely assaulted," said Nentshiunda

They then fled with cash, a cellphone and a laptop.

Since Cele was known to the family, the men were arrested immediately after. At the onset of the case, Cele was found to be unfit to stand trial and admitted into a mental care facility.

Senior State Advocate Khatija Essack led the testimony of the state witness, who implicated himself as well as Msomi and Cele, and the eyewitness testimony of Prithipaul. 

Essack also led the evidence of the police officer who had recovered the stolen laptop and cellphone in Msomi's possession. Further, Essack presented the court with a Victim Impact Statement compiled by Prithipaul and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Prudence Geraud.

In her statement, she described how Cele had breached their trust by planning this attack on her family.  She detailed how the incident had impacted her, saying that she cannot sleep, avoids interacting with people and had to leave her job as an optometrist. She described her late mother as a kind and strong woman who worked tirelessly in their community. 

Msomi's conviction was because he had acted in common purpose with Cele and the others in the commission of the offences. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years imprisonment for attempted murder and 12 years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances. The court ruled that the attempted murder and robbery sentences run concurrently with life. The court refused his application for leave to appeal both his conviction and sentence.