Two men charged for the murder of Pietermaritzburg grandfather Mark Naidoo walked free in the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
Durban: Two men charged for the murder of Pietermaritzburg grandfather Mark Naidoo walked free in the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
Naidoo, 47, was fatally shot on August 30, 2019, outside his Indus Road home in Copesville.
He had been on his way to drop off his three-year-old granddaughter at crèche when he came under attack.
Naidoo was a security manager at Hulamin.
The State alleged that this was a hit on his life after he allegedly terminated a contract of an employee.
At the time, ER24 paramedics said they arrived on the scene at around 7.45am and found the body of a man lying in the driver seat of his light motor vehicle, parked in the residence driveway.
“Medics quickly assessed the man and found that he showed no signs of life, having sustained a gunshot wound to his head. Unfortunately, nothing could be done for him, and he was declared dead on the scene.”
This week, the two men, Sanele Cele and Jabulani Jerome Ndlela, were acquitted because the court found material discrepancies in the evidence presented to the court, including witness statements, the manner in which the identification parade was conducted as well as cellphone and vehicle tracking evidence.
Cele was arrested in Polokwane and Ndlela in Inanda.
Acting High Court Judge Anand Maharaj said that the evidence did not measure up to the standard of proof required for its acceptability which is proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
Maharaj said while there was a high degree of suspicion between both the accused, mere suspicion was not enough for a conviction.
Maharaj also noted that the involvement of a private security company compromised the investigation.
IOL
