Soni wanted doctor’s arms and legs broken

Witness alleges Soni paid him to hire “bad” men from Durban to harm doctor Bhavish Sewram.

Another state witness has told the Pietermaritzburg High Court that he was approached by local businessman Rajivee Soni to cause harm to doctor Bhavish Sewram by “breaking the doctor’s arms and legs and put him in a wheelchair”.

Hoosen Shaik Cassim told the court in the murder trial that is now in its third week, that he had been approached by his brother-in-law Sugen Naidoo at his Mysore Road home with Soni in June or July 2012.

“I got a call from Sugen saying he wants to have a word with me and he has Soni with him. It was a Friday afternoon, I had just got back from the mosque. When I got home they were already engaged in a conversation at my front door. I know Soni as I was often with Sugen when they would meet at a place called Shakeels. Soni asked me if I can do a job for him and I questioned what it was about. He asked me if I know a doctor named Bhavish Sewram and if I know his surgery. He then asked me if I knew anyone who could break the doctor’s arms and legs and put him in a wheelchair,” testified Cassim.

He said he replied that he knew dangerous black men from Durban “who were bad and might end up killing the doctor”.

“Soni told me to do whatever it takes because he’s got the money and that’s not an issue. He gave me a description of the surgery and explained that there were two cameras inside the surgery. He told me that no one must know that he is involved as he has a lot to lose. After about ten minutes he returned with R5 000 of which he gave me R1 200. He told me that I am to use that money to get the guys from Durban via a private taxi. The balance of R3 800 he gave to Sugen. He said that money must be given to the guys upon completion of the job. Soni made it clear that he will find out if the job was complete as he had contacts around Pietermaritzburg,” said Cassim.

Cassim confessed to the court that it was then that he realised that he was not going to do anything and only saw this as an opportunity to make money. “I contacted Sugen that same night and he came and collected the R1 200 from me. I had no further dealings with Soni,” said Cassim.

Earlier take-away owner Mariamma Kisten gave evidence of how she had been enlisted to lay a false charge of sexual assault against Dr Sewram.

“I did go to the doctor’s surgery and lay a false claim of sexual assault against him. It all happened in the kitchen of the take away. My husband told me that one of his friends needed help and asked if I could help. I said no. Thereafter, Darryl explained the situation and asked me to help. I agreed,” said Kisten.

She said it was around February 2013 and Kisten testified that she went to the doctor’s surgery around lunchtime and requested to see the doctor.

“The doctor asked me what was wrong and I told him I had a headache. He told me to go to the examining room where I lay on the bed and he took my pressure. He told me that it was just my sinus that was worrying me and he made me go to the other room where he got the medication for me. I paid him R200 and left. I then went to the Mountain Rise police station where I made a statement to the police stating that while the doctor was examining me he put his hand on my breast which made me uncomfortable. This, in fact, did not happen,” said Kisten.

She said later that evening she received a call from Darryl who then met with her and paid her R3 000.

Kisten said the charge was never pursued against the doctor as at the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court, the prosecutor told her that she was wasting her time as it was the doctor’s word against hers.

Defence attorney Naren Sangham said during cross examination that Soni will deny going to Cassim’s house or paying any money to harm the doctor.

“Soni will say the first time he met you was at Sugen’s daughter’s party,” he said.

Sangham said Cassim’s evidence was a lie as he had not initially included it in his statement to police.

Sangham accused Cassim of being a drug dealer (which Cassim denied) and said he wanted to lease premises from Soni in Mountain Rise to “expand his cocaine enterprise by selling drugs to rich Muslim children”.