Daughter denies orchestrating father's murder in Phoenix Court appearance

A PHOENIX woman made a brief court appearance on Wednesday, facing charges of orchestrating her father's murder despite claiming a "close and loving relationship" with him.

Nicola Ramsamy, along with her husband and two others, is charged with the premeditated murder of 62-year-old Arthur Ramsamy, a retired eThekwini Municipality employee, in October.

Ramsamy, 36, of Lenham, her husband, Brenden Sanichara, 37, Mzwakhe Solly Mnguni, 38, and Ayabulela Mxoli, 31, have been charged with premeditated murder.

During the bail application, Ramsamy, in an affidavit, denied the allegations made against her. 

She said on the day in question, she accompanied Sanichara, who operated an e-hailing business, to Suncoast Casino to pick up a passenger. 

“Upon our return, we noticed that the lights at our property were off. When we entered the premises, we discovered that my father had been attacked.”

Ramsamy, who is employed by the eThekwini Municipality, said at no stage did she participate in the killing of her father, or form a common purpose with any individual to have him killed. 

“My father’s death has placed me in a difficult financial position, as he used to assist me financially while he was alive.” 

Ramsamy said the allegation that she conspired to have her father killed was “preposterous”. 

“My entire family can confirm the close and loving relationship I shared with my late father. As mentioned, my father’s death did not benefit me in any way. In fact, it placed me in a worse financial position.

“Furthermore, I have an alibi for the time period during which my father was killed. This was communicated to the investigating officer from the outset. The vehicle we used is equipped with a tracker, which can confirm our location at all material times,” she said. 

She added that there was video footage confirming that they were not at home during the time of the incident. 

“In light of this, I believe the State’s case against us is weak.”

Sanichara also said the allegation that he conspired to have Arthur killed was “preposterous”. 

“My entire family can confirm the close and loving relationship I shared with my late father in law.”

At the time, Mxoli and Mnguni elected to abandon their bid for bail. 

During the bail application, the arresting and investigating officer, Sergeant Mbali Precious Mgaga, of Phoenix SAPS, told the court that Mxoli had worked as a domestic helper in the home of Ramsamy and Sanichara, which they shared with Arthur and their three children. 

She said that at the beginning of October, Ramsamy had told Mxoli that she needed to find someone to kill her father. 

Mgaga said Mxoli told Ramsamy that she would use her boyfriend, Mnguni.

She said on the day of the incident, Ramsamy contacted Mxoli to inform her to go to their house in the evening, to “kill my father”. 

When asked where she obtained the information from, Mgaga said that Mxoli "confessed to everything”. 

Ramsamy and Sanichara were each granted R2 000 bail. Mxoli and Mnguni, who are currently in custody, intend on applying for bail at their next appearance. 

THE POST