Chatsworth family accused of 'insuring and killing' nanny

A CHATSWORTH family has pleaded not guilty to murdering their nanny after they allegedly took out a R750 000 life insurance policy on her without her knowledge.

The trio is accused of advertising for a nanny with the specific intent to insure and kill the victim. WhatsApp evidence presented in court revealed chilling messages about the victim needing to "kick the bucket".

Amdhew Chuttergoon, 49, his wife Managie Jessica Chuttergoon, 49, and their daughter, Thurashni Trailene Naidoo, 30, of Crossmoor, allegedly orchestrated the killing of Rashree Dwarika, 52, of Royal Manor in Phoenix.

They had hired her to provide housekeeping and nanny services.

Dwarika was found dead in the pool of a holiday home the Chuttergoon’s had rented in Umzumbe, on the KZN South Coast, on June 17, 2023.

The post-mortem results confirmed Dwarika had drowned.

Amdhew, Managie and Naidoo were arrested in September 2023 and charged with premeditated murder, defeating the course of justice, fraud, forgery, uttering and theft.

The trial started in the Port Shepstone Magistrate’s Court last Thursday.

According to the indictment, the family had allegedly published a fake advertisement for the employment of the domestic worker or nanny at their residence “with the aim of roping in their victim”.

It has been alleged that they then fraudulently obtained a life insurance policy for R750 000 with Discovery Life,  which stated that Naidoo would be the beneficiary of the death pay-out if Dwarika died.

In WhatsApp messages used as evidence from the State, a Discovery Life insurance consultant asked Naidoo if the woman would do a mandatory blood test.

Naidoo said: “She better do the bloods. I need her to kick the bucket.”

A month after they had employed Dwarika, the family allegedly insisted she accompany them on a holiday.

On the second day of the trip, Dwarika was found dead in the pool of the holiday house.

The court heard that Dwarika started working for the family on May 16, 2023, and she was paid R4 000 per month for her services as a domestic worker and nanny to the couple’s two minor children.

“The deceased lived with her son in Phoenix and at the time of her death, she was employed as a domestic worker and nanny. While on duty, she stayed with the accused at their residence in Chatsworth." 

Conspiring to kill

The State alleged that from May to September 2023, the accused conspired with each other and agreed that Naidoo would - on their behalf - pretend to Discovery Life that she was authorised or entitled to apply for insurance cover for Dwarika. She nominated herself as a beneficiary of the policy.

“Naidoo was entitled to conclude an agreement with the insurer, and had a lawful insurable interest in respect of the deceased. She was allegedly negotiating the agreement for insurance cover in respect of the deceased in good faith.

“Naidoo knew she was not authorised and/or entitled to apply for insurance cover in respect of the deceased and that she was not authorised to nominate herself as a beneficiary in respect of the proceeds of the said insurance policy.

“Naidoo was negotiating an agreement for insurance cover in respect of the deceased in bad faith. They conspired to defraud the insurer whose total exposure and potential loss amounted to R750 000. They insured the life of the deceased with the intention to kill the deceased at a later stage,” read the indictment.

Naidoo is also alleged to have forged the documents handed to Discovery Life for the death cover.

“With the aim of roping in their victim, the accused published a fake advertisement for employment as a domestic worker/nursemaid at their residence. The deceased 'successfully applied' for the post and assumed her duties on May 16, 2023, when she moved in with the accused at their residence,” the indictment read.

It is alleged that unbeknown to, and without the consent of Dwarika, the three accused forged documentation by falsifying her (Dwarika’s) signature and passed it off to the insurer.

“In presenting the aforesaid falsified documents to the insurer, the accused successfully misled the insurer into believing that the application for the life cover in respect of the deceased was willingly lodged by the latter, and that she was aware and consented to accused 1 (Naidoo) being nominated as the beneficiary to the life cover policy, whereas in truth, the deceased was oblivious to the existence of these fraudulent and falsified documents and the misinterpretations by the accused to the insurer.

“After confirmation of the inception date of the policy by the insurer, and in the furtherance of the execution of their plan, the accused rented a holiday home with a swimming pool at Umzumbe on the KZN South Coast. They convinced the deceased to accompany them in order to murder her.

“On June 17, 2023, during the day, and at the said holiday home, the accused killed the deceased. The corpse was removed from the crime scene. Thereafter the accused gained control of the corpse through fraudulent means, and to prevent further pathological and/or medical investigations, which could have revealed foul play in respect of the death of the deceased. They immediately had the corpse cremated,” read the indictment.

After Dwarika was killed, the three allegedly stole her identity document and her cellphone.

They were charged for defeating the course of justice in the period of June 17 to 21, 2023, and were accused of destroying evidence in a murder investigation by having her body cremated.

THE POST