WHILE most people were getting ready to enjoy their weekend on the evening of Friday, March 24, a Rosettenville family and friends broke down after a tenant allegedly butchered a mother of four to death in front of her children and a friend.
Tenant
The family of the deceased rented a room in their flat to a 52-year-old Ghanaian man, William Biney (also known as Willy), in March. The man told the family he was from Cape Town and needed accommodation.
According to the family and friends, he was a reserved person who they often shared their food with. He was usually locked in his room with his numerous scanners and printers.
During the second week of him renting the room, Biney complained R15 000 was missing from his room. He suspected his landlords may have taken the money and went to open a case at the Moffat View SAPS, during which police were informed about R10 000 missing.
The husband of the deceased said he asked Biney where he had kept the money and he answered in the deep freezer/fridge, which was in use at the time.
“He said he had sold a new Mercedes Benz for R50 000 and received R20 000 as upfront payment. At that time we were still shocked about the missing money and did not ask which car he was referring to or why anyone would sell a new Mercedes Benz for R50 000. He explained the buyer advised him to put the money in the fridge and, as spiritual people, we thought it had something to do with satanism so we invited Biney to come to church with us,” said the grieving husband.
Agitated
The family said things after this seemed fine between Biney and his landlords even though he had opened a case about the missing money. But, one day he approached his landlords, agitated over a phone charger they had lent from him.
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“He said we returned the wrong one and smashed it on the floor. I then said there are plenty of chargers, take any in the house, handing him another one. After that we noticed he was acting strangely but did not think much about it,” explained the husband.
Blood
Reliving the attack, a survivor who said she is still traumatised and scared for her life explained: “I was sitting with ‘Mama Rose’ (not her real name) in a bedroom sharing tea while she held my five-month-old baby girl. Willy was acting weirdly, walking up and down the flat, while Mama Rose’s kids were playing in and outside the flat.
“His bedroom door was half open and, suddenly, he approached us with a knife and I saw his hand hit Mama Rose’s back. I thought he was just joking. When he lifted his hand I saw blood gushing out and Mama Rose screamed and dropped my daughter. At this time Mama pushed him with her hand, reality kicked in and I screamed but Willy was constantly thrusting at Mama Rose’s back.
“We tried to run outside, fighting and screaming. Mama Rose was behind me so she took all the stabbing in her back. She collapsed on top of me in the passage and when she turned around Willy stabbed her in the neck and, I think, in other areas on her face.”
The woman said the attack happened in front of the children.
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Eventually the woman ran outside screaming “he is killing her” and a security guard arrived and took the knife from Willy, who kept screaming that he told her that he was going to get her.
“I realised he had been pacing up and down before the attack because he wanted to lock us all in the flat but couldn’t because the security gate would not lock. I think he was going to kill us all, and possibly even the children and another woman who was asleep at the time,” said the woman.
Arrested
The police arrived and arrested Biney, who the security guard had locked in the basement. Const Rebecca Bila, from Moffat View Police Station, confirmed Biney had opened a case of theft of cash to the amount of R10 000.
“The complainant stabbed the landlord and was threatening to stab the tenants. He was arrested by JMPD officers and it is JMPD who can confirm if the suspect did not show any remorse (the family claimed the suspect showed no remorse and applauded himself). The family did not open a case, it was opened by the police as it is a state case,” said Bila.
The family said they are scared for the life of the woman who survived the attack as a woman claiming to be Biney’s girlfriend had showed up at the flat. They would now like protection from Moffat View SAPS. Const Bila assured the COURIER that the station would oppose bail.
Counselling
The family said they need counselling and anyone who can help can contact Rocky on 082 640 6494 or Jerry on 078 9127 460.
According to the family, when Mama Rose arrived at hospital, where she later died, people screamed when they saw her injuries from the stab wounds.
Biney first appeared in court on Monday, March 27, and again yesterday, April 3.
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