Hijackers return father’s car after dumping his son’s body at a clinic

WHEN Asheek Singh was hijacked, his family's worst nightmare began.

His killers not only took his life through brutal violence but brazenly returned his father's car after dumping his body at a local clinic.

His devastated mother shared their harrowing ordeal and quest for justice.

Singh, 33, a business analyst, was visiting friends in extension nine, South Fork flats, in Lenasia, when he was hijacked on June 14.

His lifeless body was discovered the next day in a clinic for his family to identify.

Narisha Nuncoo said on the day of the hijacking her son was driving his father’s car.

“We do not know why he went to South Fork Flats. The Tracker picked up his location and showed that he left the area at 1.30pm. We tried to call him several times that day but there was no reply. Asheek was my baby and I used to call him all the time and send him messages. I used to always tell him to please call me just to say he was okay,” said a distraught Nuncoo.

At 2.30pm, the Tracker picked up that Singh was in a dangerous zone. 

“My daughter, Tarisha, picked this up on the Tracker app on her phone. She called her brother’s phone and a stranger picked up. He told us that Asheek was at his father's school. His father is a principal. But that was not true,” she said.

Nuncoo said by 7pm there was still no response from Singh despite all his family members trying to get hold of him. 

“At some point his phone was switched off. I could not sleep thinking how I would live if something happened to my son. Early the next morning I messaged my daughter to see if she had heard from Asheek. She had not,” said Nuncoo.

She said at 7.45am she received a call from a doctor at the local clinic that her son had been found and that he was badly injured.

“I did not even hear the conversation and started screaming. She said that Asheek’s father was already there. I was so distraught that my neighbour who heard me screaming, came to help me dress up and go to the clinic,” she said.

When she arrived at the Extension 5 Lenasia clinic, her family was already there. 

“The doctor called me into a room and told me that Asheek was dead on arrival. I was beside myself. The pathologist came to fetch me and I got to see my son. The most difficult part was when I saw my son blue and cold. I cannot believe that he is really gone and that he died in such a horrible way,” cried Nuncoo.

She said the post-mortem results showed he died of blunt force trauma to the head. 

“The post-mortem showed that his killer hit him on his head and he fell unconscious. We do not know if a hammer or golf club was used.

“He suffered a fractured skull, internal bleeding and he had choked on his vomit. The pathologists told us that the last three hours before he passed was horrible because he had been killed in a horrific way,” she said.

Nuncoo said the suspects, who had hijacked Singh, left the body in the clinic and then returned the car to his father.

“When they took the car to Asheek’s father he questioned how they had it in their possession. He questioned if Asheek had fallen out of the car and if they had  left him at the clinic. 

“Sudesh went to the clinic and started looking for him frantically only to be told that Asheek was already dead when he was taken there. They suspect that he had died between 8 and 10 hours earlier,” said Nuncoo.

“I believe that they killed him in the flat. A few of them brought his body down as he was unconscious and they left him in the car. They were driving around in his father’s car trying to use his bank cards.

“An accomplice to the accused was busy trying to swipe his bank card. They also stole all his cash.”

The accused was arrested a week after Asheek was cremated, on June 26 and appeared in the Lenasia Magistrate's Court on July 5, on a charge of murder. 

“It is just very emotional going to see the person who murdered our son. The justice system is not doing enough for us because they did not arrest his accomplice. The first day at court was very emotional. The accused showed no remorse and his family was intimidating us.

“When he came into the dock he was laughing and giggling. His life is carrying on whereas my son’s life has ended.

“My son always stood up for what was right. He was a beautiful soul. I saw him a few days before he passed away and he was as bright as ever. We are heartbroken and want justice for Asheek’s murder,” said Nuncoo. 

The accused will return to court for a bail hearing on September 4.

THE POST