Casino predator: woman (74) charged with drugging and robbing elderly victims
Remanded
Hannah Naidoo
Image: Yoshini Perumal
A 74-year-old woman has been re-arrested for allegedly drugging and robbing another vulnerable, elderly woman at Suncoast Casino.
It has been alleged that the suspect preyed on the victims in the casino by striking up a conversation and befriending them.
Hannah Naidoo, of Westville, was first arrested in October 2024 after she allegedly assaulted, drugged, and robbed a 92-year-old grandmother of R337 000 worth of jewellery and watches from her flat, in March of the same year.
According to the charge sheet Naidoo befriended the woman about a month before the crime at the casino, and their friendship grew. The woman lived alone.
On March 22, 2024, Naidoo and an accomplice - who is unknown to the State - had visited the woman in the late afternoon at her flat in the Durban Central Business District.
It has been alleged that they took cake and a milkshake for the woman.
The milkshake was allegedly spiked with a sedative known as benzodiazepines. Naidoo allegedly encouraged the woman to consume the milkshake, which rendered her unconscious. The woman was then allegedly assaulted and robbed.
Her son and grandson found her unconscious on her bed, two days after the robbery.
She was taken to hospital and regained consciousness four days later in ICU.
None of the stolen items were recovered.
Following police investigations, Naidoo was arrested and charged with robbery with aggravated circumstances and attempted murder.
At the time, Naidoo was granted bail of R5 000. She is expected to stand trial later this year.
Last Thursday, Naidoo was re-arrested on charges of attempted murder and theft. She appeared in the Durban Regional Court on Friday.
It has been alleged she drugged and robbed another woman at Suncoast Casino in May this year.
State prosecutor Calvin Govender told the court that on May 1, at Suncoast Casino, Naidoo was alleged to have put an unknown substance into the 66-year-old woman’s coffee in an attempt to sedate her.
He said this resulted in her getting medical complications and she was admitted to hospital. The woman was allegedly robbed of R20 000 in cash.
Naidoo’s attorney Advocate Ashwin Baijnath urged the court to hear the matter again at the earliest possible date instead of the seven day adjournment for a bail application.
He said Naidoo had cancer and needed to undergo chemotherapy on Monday (June 23).
Govender said the State would accommodate Naidoo, and ensure that she has access to her treatment, but she should remain in custody until her bail application.
However, by Monday, Baijnath had not provided the court proof of Naidoo having stage 4 cancer, details of her chemotherapy sessions or details of the facility she needed to be taken to or her oncologist’s contact details.
She was remanded into custody at Westville Prison while she awaits her formal bail application.
Govender said the State was opposed to bail, and that two more charges, with complainants from Umhlali and Sydenham, are to be added to Naidoo’s existing charges.
Suncoast Casino did not respond to questions at the time of print.