Why must I phone her? I was told she was dead – accused in Phoenix triple murder case

The State and an animated Colin Pillay, the man accused of a Phoenix triple murder, had several heated exchanges in the Durban High Court on Tuesday as his version of events came into sharper focus.

Senior prosecutor Cheryl Naidu kept the momentum she built on Monday, highlighting numerous discrepancies in testimony from the sole accused, Pillay.

Pillay is accused of killing his lover of nine years Jane Govindsamy and her two daughters, Rackelle and Denisha, on September 20, 2018.

Naidu focused on the morning after the killings, questioning why Pillay was not more alarmed after hearing about Govindsamy’s death.

She produced cellphone records that showed no communication between the lovers the morning Govindsamy was discovered dead.

“Why was there no communication like you normally have? How come you didn’t even send a please call me? During that entire morning, you never attempted to contact Jane once.”

Naidu lashed out at Pillay, telling him that the reason he did not contact her was because he knew she was dead.

“Before anyone told you she was dead, why didn’t you contact her? Evidence shows that there is usually contact between you two in the morning. From 06:00 until you received the call [of her death] around 09:00 there was no attempt by you to contact Jane. I will put to you that you knew she was dead because you murdered her and her daughters.”

Pillay said he couldn’t have known she was killed.

“I didn’t know she was dead. I wasn’t dreaming she was killed. I was told by other people. I was sleeping. Only when I received calls from two guys did I know she was dead.”

Naidu questioned why he never tried to call Govindsamy upon hearing about her death from others.

“Why must I phone Jane? I trusted those guys who told me she died,” responded Pillay.

Earlier in the day, Pillay also sought to change his testimony for his version of events on the night in question. He said that he had remembered facts differently upon reflection.

Judge Phillip Nkosi said he was unhappy with Pillay’s sudden change of mind.

“I am now confused with your version of events. Yesterday you were clear but now you are changing what you were saying.”

The matter continues.

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