Parents learn of son's murder after vehicle tracking company’s SMS alert

A CHATSWORTH family are desperately seeking answers after their son was allegedly shot dead by a friend who claimed self-defence.

The grieving parents only discovered their son’s fate through a vehicle tracking company alert, with police providing minimal information about the circumstances of the murder.

Dalen Gounden, 23, of Montford, was allegedly killed during an argument with his friend while they were travelling along the R102, near Illovo Beach. 

On Monday, Dilyn Keano Naidoo, 26, of Hillary, appeared in the Umlazi Magistrates Court, on a charge of murder. He was remanded in custody and the matter was adjourned to next week for a bail application.

Dalen’s aunt, Nancy Moonsamy, said he had left home on Friday afternoon to meet friends at a nearby soccer field and failed to return home. 

She said in the early hours of Saturday, his father, Nagentheran Gounden, received an SMS from the vehicle tracking company.

“It was only at this point that they realised something was wrong. His father then called the tracking company,” said Moonsamy.

“They told him that the battery in his son’s car had been disconnected, and that they had lost the signal on the vehicle’s tracking device.”

She said Gounden was told that Dalen’s vehicle was last located at the Amanzimtoti police station. He and his wife made their way there.

At the police station, the couple were shown their son’s driver’s licence.

“My brother-in-law and sister were told that Dalen had been shot and killed during an argument. The police told them that Dalen’s friend had handed himself over.

"The friend allegedly told police that he had shot Dalen in self-defence,” she said.

“They were not told where Dalen had been killed or given any other information about the incident. The police told them that Dalen’s body had already been taken to the mortuary, which was closed, and that they should return on Monday to identify his body.

“We do not know this friend he was allegedly with. We are struggling to understand how he ended up travelling to Amanzimtoti,” added Moonsamy.

She said the police told her brother-in-law that a post-mortem would be conducted.

“Dalen’s parents are baffled as to what had happened. Their son got home from work on Friday. He went for a haircut and then had a meal before going to see his friends in the area.

“Hours later, he was dead. We are disappointed that we did not get a call from the police about Dalen’s death. We had to find out on our own that he had been killed. If it was not for the tracking company, we would not have known a thing,” said Moonsamy.

She said since Friday, they had no further feedback from the police.

“We have been left in the dark. On Monday, all we were told was that the post-mortem had been done and Dalen’s body would be released for us to conduct the funeral.

“His mom has not slept since Friday night. We are all shocked as to what could have led to his murder. We were also not notified by the police that the suspect had appeared in court on Monday. Dalen’s friends found that the matter was in court and some of them attended.

"They printed T-shirts and held banners calling for the suspect to be denied bail. We want Dalen’s killer to face the full might of the law,” Moonsamy added.

She said Dalen would have celebrated his 24th birthday on October 11.

Moonsamy described her nephew as a respectful young man who was always willing to help those in need. She said he worked as an administrative clerk after matriculating from Arena Park Secondary.

“He was a bright young man. He loved watching soccer and was an ardent Chelsea fan,” she said.

Colin Venkadu, the chairman of Montford Heights Football Club, said Dalen was a midfielder and had joined the club three years ago.

He said his nickname was “DB”, the initials of his favourite former English professional footballer, David Beckham. 

“On the field, he was referred to as ‘the trickster’ because he was always full of tricks. He will be missed by everyone at the club and our hearts go out to his family.”  

Venkadu said Gounden played his last match for the first division club on September 21 against Masanda Wanda. Montford Heights FC won 2-1. 

KZN police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, said Amanzimtoti police had opened a murder docket.

“Reports indicate that on September 26 the victim and the suspect drove along the R102 at Illovo beach when an argument broke out, which resulted in the suspect shooting the victim,” he said

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