Gay killer to know fate

On Monday Mario Tsawe will hear how many years he will spend in Westville Prison for murdering pensioners Dennis Roberts, 75, and his sister, Crystal, 71.

State advocate Rea Mina told the presiding judge on Thursday that Tsawe was lying when he claimed the murders were not premeditated, and she would call for life imprisonment on both counts, and the maximum prescribed penalty on two counts of robbery.

Two friends gave widely differing accounts of Tsawe’s personality.

The first, who requested anonymity, said the killer was a schemer “obsessed with sex,”, who drank liberally and courted danger.

“We worried about him and thought something like this (the killing of Dennis) would happen. I just couldn’t believe it when I got the news. It’s hard to accept that he killed two elderly, defenceless people in that manner.”

The man met Tsawe earlier this year through mutual friends. At the time he was living in a flat in Ballito, and working in engineering, a job he was later fired from.

Psychology graduate Lindani Myaka was in court to see Tsawe on Thursday. He said that while his friend deserved to be punished for the murders, he would always stick by him.

“Mario is a very good, loving, fun and supportive friend and a great shoulder to cry on when one needs it. I was out of work when we met and he looked for jobs for me. He is just one of those special people who always seems to have a smile on his face,” he said.

“When I heard what happened to Dennis and his sister I was shocked and part of me was angry that Mario had not shared what was going on in his relationship with Dennis. Maybe I could have counselled him and helped avert the tragedy.”

Myaka said the power dynamics in a gay relationship between a young man and a much older, wealthy one were weighted in the older man’s favour.

“Sugar daddies will introduce you to glitz and glamour, and they lure you with gifts and money as bait for sex,” he said. “If their expectations are not met, they leave you.

“When Mario met Dennis he was vulnerable and unemployed, and Dennis was very generous to him. Mario was shattered when things went wrong.”

Alluding to Tsawe’s “damaged childhood”, Myaka said he was proud of his friend for admitting to the crimes and believed he was an excellent candidate for rehabilitation.

Meanwhile, the family of Crystal and Dennis is still battling to cope. “They are shattered. How do you begin to get over something like this?” said a family spokeswoman. - Sunday Tribune