Murdered teenager Roseanne Naidoo's friends and family were at court yesterday. From left are her friend Kaylin Naicker, sister Fiona Shaik, father Kesy Naidoo, brother-in-law Mohamed Shaik and aunt Sandra Naicker. Picture: Tania Broughton Murdered teenager Roseanne Naidoo's friends and family were at court yesterday. From left are her friend Kaylin Naicker, sister Fiona Shaik, father Kesy Naidoo, brother-in-law Mohamed Shaik and aunt Sandra Naicker. Picture: Tania Broughton
Outraged south Durban residents and the family of murdered teenager Roseanne Naidoo made their presence felt when the two men charged with the crime appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The courtroom was packed with relatives of the murdered teenager and relatives of the two men in the dock.
Outside court, Roseanne’s family, wearing black T-shirts, held an impromptu picket. One placard read: “Justice must be served.”
Xolani Hlengwa, 29, and Neekesh Mangaroo, 21, both of Merebank, are charged with Roseanne’s murder. Her body was found, more than a week after she was reported missing, near a primary school in Merebank.
Roseanne had left her home on May 4 after receiving a phone call from a friend.
Prosecutor Shayna Naidoo said yesterday that the trial should be heard in the high court and suggested that it be transferred.
But defence attorney Bob Bahadur asked that it remain in the magistrate’s court, saying he wanted an opportunity to view the transcripts of the bail proceedings.
He said he had instructions to possibly make a fresh application for bail based on new facts.
Both men were refused bail in June by magistrate Anitha Govender who ruled that it was not in the interests of justice to release them.
The State opposed bail, claiming that there was concern for the safety of witnesses
In an affidavit opposing bail, warrant officer Hermina Ncawe said the State had a formidable case against both men.
“The deceased was often seen in the company of both men and there is a witness who saw the two men and an outstanding suspect dispose of the body. Prior to the discovery of the body, accused two (Mangaroo) had taken the deceased’s family on a wild goose chase searching for the deceased.”
Ncawe said DNA evidence had also been sent to the police forensics department for testing.
Both men said in their affidavits that they intended pleading not guilty and that police and the media were “sensationalising the matter as they cannot find the true perpetrators”.
Hlengwa said he was assaulted (by police) and Mangaroo said he had been intimidated and asked to confess by police officers.
The case was adjourned until August 15 and the men were remanded.