WHEN an Avoca couple took a 21-year-old drug addicted man under their wing, hoping to rehabiltate him, they had no idea that they would end up paying the ultimate price for their goodwill.
Cody Soobramoney will spend 27 years behind bars for the attempted murder and murder of the Avoca couple who tried to help the drug addicted man back on his feet.
In July 2011 the then 21-year-old Soobramoney went to former principal, Arnold Mogamburry Naidoo (then 73) and his wife, Sivagamy’s (then 71) house in Mill Road, Avoca after smoking crack cocaine.
“He went inside the house and asked Mrs Naidoo for food. After finishing his meal, Soobramoney then took a knife and stabbed Mrs Naidoo in the neck. She screamed and ran outside to her husband,” said Greenwood Park SAPS spokesman, Lt Elvis Naidoo.
“Mr Naidoo then confronted Soobramoney inside the house, where Soobramoney attacked him and slit his throat. He was declared dead on the scene,” Lt Naidoo said.
Soobramoney was arrested by Greenwood Park SAPS officers in Workington Road, Greenwood Park the day after and the murder weapon was found under the former principal’s bed.
Soobramoney was sentenced this month to seven years imprisonment for attempted murder and 20 years imprisonment for murder, which will run concurrently.
“The investigating officers involved in this case have to be commended for their excellent investigations. This case again highlights the large amount of drug related crimes in the area, especially among the youth who are involved with hard drugs,” he said.
Lt Naidoo said the attack and murder was a senseless crime: “He had no reason to murder or stab the Naidoo couple. I urge parents to keep a close eye on their children and to make use of the many rehabilitation centres and counselling centres in the area,” Lt Naidoo added.
In another drug-related incident, two local school pupils, from two different schools, were recently arrested for being in possession of drugs and weapons respectively.
“Drugs are a huge problem in the Greenwood Park area and it’s been proven to be directly linked to serious crimes. We have declared war on drugs and we will work closely with various community policing forums and sector policing to rid the area of drugs,” Lt Naidoo vowed.
