Indrawathy Rampersadh was strangled during a robbery at her home in Satara Road on March 30.
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A SUSPECT linked to the murder of a Merebank grandmother and the robbery of another victim, has escaped from Wentworth Hospital while under police guard by the local SAPS.
The 54-year-old suspect was arrested on April 3, after she had allegedly robbed another Merebank woman of money.
Members of PT Alarms apprehended the woman for the robbery in Kasuali Road, and she was then linked her to the murder of Indrawathy Rampersadh, 82.
Rampersadh was strangled during a robbery at her home in Satara Road on March 30.
PT Alarms spokesperson Dhevan Govindasamy said they linked the woman to Rampersadh’s alleged murder through a photograph taken from video footage, which allegedly showed the suspecy leaving the house, shortly after the murder.
“The woman had allegedly tried to commit suicide when she was rushed to Wentworth Hospital on the night of April 3.
“She was placed under police guard at the hospital and she was in leg shackles. She had asked to use the toilet, and although there were two female security guards from the hospital, at the toilet door, she was allowed to go in alone,” he claimed.
The suspect allegedly escaped by climbing onto a chair in the bathroom, and escaping through the window.
“We are disappointed and concerned that we had worked diligently to apprehend the woman and “gave her to them (police) in their hands”, only to find that she had escaped police custody.
“Her escape had led us to offer a reward for information leading to the suspect’s whereabouts. We are concerned about the safety of other elderly residents, who this suspect seems to target.
“A policeman from Wentworth SAPS was on duty at the time guarding the suspect. After she escaped, police and the K9 Units searched for the suspect, but there was no trace of her.
“This makes us to question the circumstances in which she had escaped. We lodged a complaint with the management at the police station, but to date, there has been no feedback.
“We questioned whether there would be any disciplinary action taken against the police officer who guarded the woman, but there was no feedback on that either.
“We are scared that she might do the same thing to other pensioners. If another pensioner is robbed or dies at the hands of this woman, then the crime will fall on the hands of the police, as they were handed the suspect but failed to secure her.
“There should be consequences for the police officer who did not do their job. We are getting close to her whereabouts and are hoping that the reward offered will help us,” Govindasamy added.
Rampersadh’s son, Kishan Bridgelal, who is the principal of Merebank Secondary School, said he felt as if his mother’s death was in vain after finding out about the suspect’s escape.
He said he does not know who the investigating officer for the case was, and he was disgusted at the manner in which police have handled his mother’s murder case.
“I never heard from Wentworth police after my son and I gave them statements as witnesses. On the day of my mother’s murder, my son who lives with my mother had discovered her body and called me.
“He said that she was unresponsive and thought that she may have collapsed. I live on the same road and rushed there. When we turned her over, we noticed that one of my son’s ties was tied so tightly around her neck that you could hardly see the tie.
“We cut the tie off her neck and I gave her mouth-to-mouth to try to resuscitate her. We are still waiting for the post mortem results, but I have told my family that since I cannot come to terms with my mother’s death, I will not read the report” he added.
Bridgelal said they were notified of the woman’s arrest from Govindasamy.
He said Govindasamy had also told them about the woman’s escape from Wentworth Hospital.
“My mother’s death must not be in vain. This woman is targeting elderly women who are alone at home, and is posing as a beggar. It is unacceptable. This means that my mother is just another statistic and she gave her life for nothing.
“The woman had only stolen a cellphone and a laptop from the house. My mother was old and frail. She could have just hit my mother or locked her in a room and stole what she wanted, but she chose to kill my mother in cold blood. We feel as if my mother’s death is not being given priority or properly investigated because she is not classified as ‘high profile’.
“The authorities fail to realise that to us, she was high profile. They are not even dragging their feet. I am upset and disgusted with the police,” Bridgelal added.
KZN police had not commented at the time of print.