Durban North SAPS detective secures lengthy conviction for La Lucia hijacking

THE management of the Durban North SAPS station has commended detective warrant officer, Vicky Moodley for securing a lengthy conviction of a suspect involved in the hijacking of a metered taxi driver in La Lucia earlier this year.

According to the station spokesperson, Captain Raymond Deokaran, John Edward Amos was sentenced to 12 years and was arrested as he exited the Durban Magistrate’s Court over another matter. 

“The carjacking was registered in March this year where the victim, a metered taxi driver, was held up on Forest Drive by two men, one of whom was armed with a knife. The suspects had requested a taxi ride from a hotel on the Durban Beachfront and attacked the victim when they arrived at the location in La Lucia. One of the suspects seated behind the driver held him in chokehold while the second suspect stabbed him several times in the hands. 

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“The victim was able to jump out of the vehicle and ran for help. The suspects drove off with the vehicle which was recovered hours later at an auto spares shop in Montclair. According to the owner of the shop, the vehicle had been sold for R7 000. This all occurred within a space of a few hours. Investigations through CCTV footage and fingerprints led detective Moodley to John Edward Amos, a Windermere resident,” he said. 

Deokaran said Amos had other cases pending against him at the time of his arrest. 

“Through the investigations, the detective was also able to recover the vehicle and arrest the suspect for carjacking. We are confident the second suspect in this case will be arrested soon but the successful conviction is thanks to the excellent work by detective Moodley. This is a tremendous success for the station and the station commander is extremely proud of him,” Deokaran explained.