The receptionist of Atlantis Guest House, Deena Camroodeien during the continuation of her testimony in the murder trail of Derrick Fyvers and Marlon Koopman, told the Northern Cape High Court that she cannot admit or deny that Fyvers was present on the night her employer’s son, Ashwinn Malan was fatally shot at the guest house.
THE RECEPTIONIST of Atlantis Guest House, Deena Camroodeien during the continuation of her testimony in the murder trail of Derrick Fyvers and Marlon Koopman, told the Northern Cape High Court that she cannot admit or deny that Fyvers was present on the night her employer’s son, Ashwinn Malan was fatally shot at the guest house.
Malan died after he was shot three times in what was believed to be botched robbery at his mother’s guest house in West End in Kimberley.
The incident took place on September 8, 2016 after a group of men apparently under false pretence requested accommodation at the guest house.
Fyvers and Koopman have been charged with the incident and are facing charges of murder, illegal possession of ammunition, illegal possession of a firearm and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Koopman in his statement to the court said Fyvers was the mastermind and the shooter in the incident.
He further stated that he believed that Fyvers was working with a woman employed at the guest house whom they during the robbery apparently held-up at the guest house and that the two of them were in a relationship.
Camroodien disputed that she was in a relationship with Fyvers but said she was in a former relationship with the brother of the accused.
Camrooodien during her testimony said she was at the guest house on the night of the incident and opened the gate which was operated by remote, after she heard a vehicle hooting at the gate.
She said she put her nightgown on and went outside to meet the guests and saw a white bakkie drive in.
The bakkie went to park in a dark spot by the trees and three men came walking towards her.’
Camroodien said the men asked her about the rooms and she told them what the cost of the rooms were.
“I even asked how many people there were. I told them the price and went back to get the key to the room. One of the men was standing on my left, the other one on my right and another one stood by the corner of the stairs. The person on my right stood with his head looking down and he was wearing a hoodie. The person by the stairs was looking at me in the face. The one on the left was talking to me and I got to see his face. On that night I however did not know the identity of any of those men,” she said.
She said it was only later after the incident that she recognised the men when she saw them in the newspaper.
“I saw their faces in the newspaper and recalled that the men on that night were Levert van Wyk, Marlon Koopman and AW Beukes. Levert was by the corner of the stairs, Koopman was the person on my right and Beukes was the one asking about the room,” she said.
Camroodein told the court that she later noticed a fourth person who was hiding their face by pulling the jacket over their face by the electricity box.
She said as soon as the power went off, the men grabbed her and dragged her inside the house.
“Koopman grabbed me by my shoulder. The person on my left grabbed me around the neck and placed his hand over my nose and mouth. I screamed and he shut my mouth. They pulled me down the stairs and as we got to the last step, I lost my balance and fell. They further dragged me to the side of the swimming pool and I screamed and looked in the direction of the room of the deceased, hoping he would hear me. The men then grabbed my feet and another one grabbed me by my upper-body and carried me up the stairs. They carried me to my house. Inside the house, the one who had his hand on my mouth, tried to grasp both my hands with his one hand and he pushed my head against the floor with his knee. I could feel there was something he pressed against my head, but I was not sure what it was. I pleaded with them not to hurt me and said I had nothing to give them. He told me to keep quiet. It was during that time that I heard the gunshots. I first heard two shots going off, then another one went off,” she said.
Camroodien said although she could not see much because the power was switched-off, she could hear that the men were in a hurry to get away.
“After the gunshots went off, I could hear someone dragging something that sounded like a bag with wheels. The footsteps were fast as the people were moving. I also at that same time heard the bakkie starting and driving, but it was driving slowly. I heard someone telling the person who was holding my legs to let me go. The person who was holding turned me on back as I was lying on my side. They then left. I tried to get up but fell down. I then crawled to the door as I wanted to get Ashwinn. I saw a person running between the lapa and the main house. I went to hide behind the door and saw this person running toward the gate which was busy closing. The person then jumped over the wall and I could hear the bakkie driving down the street,” she said.
She said she later made use of her cellphone flashlight after she first called the deceased and did not get a response.
“I went back to Ashwinns room and peeped inside. The upper-door to his room was slightly open. I opened it and stuck my head in. I could see him lying behind the lower-door. There was a wound in his head and some blood on the air conditioner. I then called Ashwinn’s mom, Stephanie Cloete,” she said.
Camroodein said although she saw Fyvers on the morning of the incident, he did inform her that he was underway to Pretoria.
She said he saw several missed calls from him the Friday after the incident whereby he told her that he had arrived safely in Pretoria.
“Accused one left on Thursday morning around 8am for Pretoria. He had called me later that afternoon saying he was at Wolmaransstad. I only saw his missed calls the next day after the incident and when I called him back, he said he wanted to inform me that he had safely arrived in Pretoria. I cannot say that I had seen him on the night of the incident, nor can I say that he was not there on the night. It was dark and everything happened fast,” said Camroodien.
The trial continues and the accused remain n custody.
