Mother's heartbreak after son shot in home invasion for R150 and cellphones
A MOTHER relived this week how armed robbers, who had shot and killed her son during an early morning home invasion, walked around his lifeless body looking for what they could steal.
Paven Chetty, 36, of Padianagar Township, in Tugela, a father of three, was shot twice - in the back and neck.
Speaking to the POST, Managi Chetty said her son was robbed of his life for R150 and four cellphones.
“They had no mercy for my child. After killing him, they walked around his lifeless body on the floor looking for what they could take.”
Chetty, who lives in Durban, said on weekends she visited the home where her sons, Paven and Uven, and their families lived.
“I sell breyani at a flea market on Fridays. I usually wake up quite early to start preparing. That morning, I was in the kitchen from about 2am. I went outside to get the pot from the storeroom.
“Suddenly, I heard the kitchen door open, and when I turned to look, there were three men dressed in full black and wearing balaclavas. The two men who had the knives, walked towards me, while the other suspect with the gun stood at the door,” she said.
Chetty said they demanded money and her cellphone.
“I only had R150 in my bedroom. I told them I was just like them, that I did not have much and lived day-to-day. My cellphone was charging in the kitchen. They took it and asked me to open my banking application. My account had no money in it.
“It was during this time that Paven called out to me asking who I was speaking to. A few seconds later, he was standing in the kitchen. When he saw the suspects, he turned around and was about to walk away when the man fired a shot at him.
“I just saw my son fall to the ground. He fired two more shots. At that moment, my daughter-in-law, Tellona, and three grandchildren came running towards the kitchen. Paven looked at them, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.
“They then began pushing Tellona towards the bedroom. One of the men banged her head against the wall. They told her to go onto Paven’s bank app, but she told them she did not know the password.
“They made us write down the pin codes for our cellphones, and then casually walked out the house. They also made sure to take the R150 from my bedroom,” she said.
“The men did not even run. They walked casually down the driveway. They took my child’s life and felt nothing about what they had done.”
Chetty said Paven, who worked as a storeman, was a humble, caring and kind man.
“He was the most wonderful child a parent could have ever asked for. He was also a loving husband and father to his 13 year old daughter and two sons, 6 and 3. Now, all I want is justice for my son.”
Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo, a provincial police spokesperson, said Newark police were investigating two cases of murder and house robbery.