"I planned to kill my wife"

A DURBAN man has pleaded guilty to orchestrating a horrific attack on his wife, who survived being strangled with a rope and thereafter jumping out from a moving car.

Ramith Aneerudh, 38, of Newlands West, told the court how he conspired with his co-accused – Deon Tyler Naidu, 47, of Umzinto, and  Kyle Goldstone, 38, of Ifafa – to kill his 35 year old beauty therapist wife Sarika Bridgmohan.

Aneerudh, Naidu and Goldstone were charged with attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances and theft. 

Aneerudh and Goldstone were nabbed in Coffee Bay, in the Eastern Cape, on April 16 last year by members of Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) who were contacted by Bridgmohan for assistance. 

Rusa also recovered Bridgmohan’s vehicle at a property in Umzinto.

Naidu was arrested by police at a house in Umzinto on April 24. 

 Last Friday, Aneerudh pleaded guilty to all charges in the Umbumbulu Regional Court. 

Goldstone and Naidu pleaded not guilty. 

In his plea statement, read out by his attorney Ashwin Rughbeer, Aneerudh said he and Bridgmohan had left the Coastlands Hotel in Musgrave on March 13 at around midday. 

He said he had indicated to Bridgmohan that they should go to a lawyer’s office to fetch documents pertaining to the purchase and sale of a property.

Aneerudh said they had been residing in the hotel for two years until the date of the incident. 

He said they left the hotel and he drove Bridgmohan’s vehicle, a white GWM, to a park in Winkelspruit and waited for his co-accused. 

Aneerudh said Bridgmohan requested to use the toilet, and he then drove to a shopping centre. 

He said they returned to the same park, and waited for his co-accused. 

Aneerudh said he called Goldstone requesting his whereabouts. 

He said he thereafter drove further down the park and parked next to a silver vehicle driven by Naidu. Goldstone was seated in the passenger seat. 

Aneerudh said he alighted the vehicle and proceeded to his co-accused’s vehicle, where he handed R1 000 to Goldstone. 

He said Goldstone asked Bridgmohan to alight the vehicle, and then forcefully pulled her out. 

Aneerudh said he grabbed her handbag and took out the contents which included R1 000 and a cellphone. He also grabbed the cellphone which was in her hand and checked if she sent her location to anyone. 

He said Naidu then grabbed and pulled Bridgmohan towards his car to force her inside, but she resisted and refused. 

Aneerudh said Goldstone then put a rope around her neck and dragged her. She then became unconscious and was put into the front seat of Naidu’s car.

He said he then left in Bridgmohan’s car and went on ahead to a location in Ifafa. 

Aneerudh said Goldstone and Naidu waited with Bridgmohan in a deserted area along the river banks of Umgababa. 

He said Goldstone and Naidu then drove to fill fuel at a nearby petrol station, and while on the way, Bridgmohan opened the door of the moving car and jumped out. She signalled to a car passing by and asked for help. 

Aneerudh said Goldstone and Naidu fled, and met him at a remote location in Ifafa. 

He said they decided to flee to the Eastern Cape to hide from police.

Aneerudh further admitted that he and his co-accused were known to each. He said they often attended fishing expeditions together on the south coast. 

He said all arrangements and planning were made prior to the date of the incident, so they all had one common objective in mind, which was to kidnap and murder Bridgmohan.

Speaking to the POST, Bridgmohan said she was glad that Aneerudh “finally” acknowledged what he had done was wrong

 “Although he knew what he had done, it took him more than a year to plead guilty. For me, this ordeal has not been easy, especially having to go back and forth to court and see him and his accomplices. I do not think I am ever going to be able to get over what happened. It will stay with me forever.

“Life has changed, I have changed. There was a time when I felt as if I was not living and I was forgetting the world outside due to my fear which consumed me after the incident. Trying to block everything out and cope each day has not been easy. However, I am one of the lucky ones as I have an amazing family and friends who helped me through my difficult times,” she said. 

Bridgmohan said the sentence imposed should set a precedent. 

“The sentence should be an example for anyone that has intentions to do such a thing. Trying to take someone’s life is not a minor crime, and he planned it, so he deserves to get a life sentence.”

Sentence proceedings are expected to get underway next year.

THE POST