'I watched my cousin being shot to death’

A PHOENIX man took the stand to recount the horrific night his cousin Wesley Steenkamp was shot dead at a Springfield Park petrol station while they had gone to watch drag racing.

Shaun Sukhlal, 34, described how he was also shot four times during the incident that has left him physically and emotionally scarred.

He was the first State witness to give evidence during the murder and attempted murder trial of Artish Muganlall which started in the Durban Regional Court last week. 

Muganlall, 22, also of Phoenix, was arrested and charged for the murder of Wesley Steenkamp, 30, and attempted murder of Sukhlal in February last year. 

The incident occurred after Sukhlal, Steenkamp, Sukhlal, and another cousin, had gone to watch the drag racing, in Springfield Park, on the evening of February 3. 

Steenkamp, a truck driver, who was shot multiple times including in his chest, died at the scene. 

Sukhlal, a sales representative, was shot once in his left arm and once in his groin where the bullet is still lodged. The other two bullets grazed his abdomen. 

Their younger cousin was not injured. 

Muganlall was arrested three weeks later after he allegedly went into hiding in the Pietermaritzburg area. 

At the time, his mother, Melanie Muganlall, was arrested and charged with defeating the ends of justice - aiding and abetting. The charges have since been withdrawn. 

At the time she had been accused of hiding her son from authorities.

At the start of trial last Wednesday, Muganlall pleaded not guilty to the charges. 

Sukhlal, in his evidence, told the court that on the day of the incident he together with Steenkamp and their cousin were having a drink at his mother’s home in Phoenix. 

He said Muganlall resided in the same complex, a few blocks away from his mother’s home. 

Sukhlal said at about 9pm, he and his cousins decided to take a drive to buy food and watch the drag racing. 

He said while leaving the complex, they encountered Muganlall. 

“He was driving up the complex, and we were driving down. Wesley was in the passenger seat, when Artish hurled some remarks at us. We didn’t hear as the music was on. Wesley asked me what he said, I told him ‘don’t worry about it’.”

Sukhlal told the court that Wesley had informed him that he and Muganlall had some “beef” going on for some time. 

He said Steenkamp and Muganlall knew each other and were previously friends as they lived in the same area and later worked in the same company. 

“Wesley told me about this beef between them prior to the shooting and that he was being harassed by Artish. Wesley and Artish worked together. Wesley left work, but the harassment continued for months.”

Sukhlal further told the court that after leaving the complex, they proceeded to Springfield Park. 

“As we entered the garage (petrol station), we saw Artish and his friends parked there. We had to pass them. As I drove past, Artish said, ‘there these p*****s are going past’. We heard it this time. At this stage, Wesley got irritated and wanted to confront him. But I stopped him. 

“I told Wesley to hold on and let me go talk to him. We are all from the same area, let me go see what this beef is about. That is when I approached him. We greeted each other and while chatting I felt he was being disrespectful as he told me to ‘vy way from here’, so I slapped him. He then pulled out the gun and shot at me,” he said. 

Sukhlal said he only realised he had been shot when he looked at his left arm which was “hanging”. 

“I walked back to my car and fell on the grass next to it. Wesley, who was in the car, asked me what happened and I told him I think I was shot. Wesley  jumped out and ran towards Artish. While lying on the ground, I saw Artish shoot Wesley and he fell to the ground. 

“By then I heard a lot of screaming. I thought he (Wesley) was knocked out, I didn’t know he was dead.”

Sukhlal said he was taken to hospital by ambulance where he was admitted for one week. 

He told the court that neither he, Steenkamp or their cousin was armed. 

“None of us had weapons.” 

Sukhlal said the incident had taken a toll on his physical and mental well-being. 

“I have a two-year-old son, and I battle to carry him because of the injury to my left arm. I also constantly have breakdowns, I hear the gunshots off in my head…”

During cross-examination, Muganlall’s attorney questioned Sukhlal about how many drinks they had, to which he responded it was only one glass of whisky. 

He further told Sukhlal that they were ‘under the influence’,  to which he responded that they were not. 

The attorney told Sukhlal that he could not have seen Muganlall and Steenkamp from the position he was in. 

However, he responded that there was about a half-metre gap between the vehicles. 

The attorney further told Sukhlal that Muganlall and Steenkamp were friends to which he agreed. 

He said Muganlall had hired Steenkamp to work for a company where was the manager. 

The attorney said during this time, Steenkamp developed a relationship with a female. He said Muganlall was both of their managers. 

He said when the relationship came to surface, Muganlall was tasked to discipline them and they were subsequently dismissed. 

However, Sukhlal said Steenkamp left the job because he was being intimidated by Muganlall. 

“That is when I told him to leave the job, and find another one which he did.” 

The trial continues. 

Muganlall is in custody after his bail was denied last year.

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