Attempted murder suspect gets 15 years behind bars

A MAN accused of the attempted murder of an uMhlanga resident has been sentenced to 15 years in prison in the Durban Magistrate’s Court. Derrick Ngwazi was convicted on three charges – theft, theft of a motor vehicle and attempted murder. He was employed by the victim at the time of the incident, which occurred in 2013. Ngwazi, who had previous theft convictions, beat his employer using a claw hammer in an effort to get money from him.

Lt Raymond Deokaran, spokesman for the Durban North SAPS, said the victim spent over a week in hospital after the brutal attack.

“The suspect had demanded more money from the elderly resident. When he refused, he rushed up to him a struck him with the hammer, which he had hidden behind his back. The resident was struck several times in the brutal assault and was beaten unconscious. When the resident woke up, he found his hands had been tied with fencing wire and his feet were bound too. Mr Ngwazi kept asking him about the money and kept on beating the resident on the ground. The victim remembers hearing two other voices in the house during the vicious assault.

“He was discovered in a pool of blood by his son. The suspects had looted the house and stolen the resident’s Toyota Hilux as well as a number of tools and other items in excess of R300 000. He was eventually arrested by members of our field unit at Brook Farm, an informal settlement in Phoenix. During the trail we opposed bail and I want to congratulate all involved and Det Cst Themba Ndeble, who secured the conviction,” he said.

Speaking to Northglen News this morning, the victim of the attack, who did not want to be named, said he was ‘sad’ with the conviction. Speaking of the attack, he said: “It’s something you never forget. He’s a dangerous person and it’s sad that in a couple of years he will be out on parole because of our overcrowded prisons. He had worked for me in my construction business for two years when the incident happened. He came to us with painting experience.

“One day he demanded that he be paid the the same amount as the supervisor, I said that was impossible. His hands were behind his back the whole time. He then rushed at me and struck me in the head. He was always quiet, but underneath that, something wasn’t right,” he said.