DURING the ongoing murder trial of Sunil Brijmohan, a key witness has implicated the former councillor’s son and business partner in a conspiracy to kill him because he was “cheating on his wife”.
Al-Barakh Jaleel Van Rooyen, 21, was the first key witness giving his testimony in the State’s case against Sewnath, 46, and his co-accused, Vernon Chetty, 26, Farah Moosa, 25, and Sibusiso Ngcobo, 26.
The trial began in December and resumed on Monday.
Van Rooyen and his co-accused, Santure Kirwin Mkhize, were both found guilty of Brijmohan’s murder and are serving 18-year sentences. They both are witnesses for the State in the trial.
Brijmohan, 46, was a construction businessman and was shot and killed outside a building site in Cato Crest in Amanzimtoti, on October 21, 2022. Van Rooyen said in his affidavit that he, Chetty, Ngcobo, Mkhize and a man named Ben, had gone on the afternoon of the murder to collect the money that had been promised to them from Sewnath.
He testified that Sewnath had said on the same afternoon that there were reasons why they wanted Brijmohan dead.
“While inside the vehicle, Bhalla (Chetty) introduced us to the Indian male and he (the Indian male) then introduced himself to us as Brian Sewnath. Brian then asked us who shot Sunil.
“Santure (Mkhize) indicated that he was the one who had shot him. Brian indicated that the reason they wanted Sunil dead was because he (Sunil) was cheating on his wife. And that the son of the deceased wanted him dead.
“Brian also said he would be able to take over the deceased’s business if he was killed. He also explained that he had access to the deceased’s assets and he would make sure that we were paid as soon as the deceased's insurance policies paid out. Brian then called the person he indicated was the son of Sunil. I then heard Brian telling the said person that he was with the guys who had done the job. After the call, Brian indicated that the said person said he should give us the money he had and they would sort us out later,” Van Rooyen said in his affidavit.
Van Rooyen told the court that he was the person who accompanied the shooter, Mkhize, to execute Brijmohan. He said after the murder, Moosa, who had no idea that he was driving them to execute Brijmohan, dropped him and Mkhize off in Pine Street in Durban central.
“Mkhize still had the firearm in his possession. It was tucked in the front of his waist by his belt. We went back to the house in Newlands by taxi. When we got home, I made something to eat,” he told the court.
Sewnath’s attorney, Chris Gounden, said that while the accusation was that Chetty and Sewnath colluded to kill Brijmohan, Sewnath had an alibi and would claim that he had never met any of the accused or convicted men at “that time and place,” where the exchange of money for the “job” allegedly occurred in Jacobs.
But in his evidence, Van Rooyen said: “Brian took out a brown envelope and handed it to Bhalla (Chetty) and when it was opened it contained an amount of R20 000.
“We then shared it amongst ourselves and we all received an amount of R5 000 each. We were told that we would get the rest of the money as promised and that he would keep in touch with Bhalla. We parted ways,” read the affidavit.
“In November 2022 while I was at home, Santure, Ben, Mantu (Ngcobo) and Bhalla (Chetty) came to my place and informed me that they went to meet up with Brian at Mobeni and they had been given an amount of R10 000. I then forcefully took R5 000 from them because I believed they received more money. I was not informed that they were going to meet Brian for the second time,” testified Van Rooyen.
Gounden, while cross examining Van Rooyen, said Sewnath disputed his (Van Rooyen’s) evidence and said Sewnath did not have clear beads hanging from the rear view mirror of his vehicle and neither did he have Hindu idols or photographs of Hindu deities in his vehicle. He said Van Rooyen also gave evidence that Sewnath had a red religious string tied on his left wrist, which he (Sewnath) claimed was wrong as he wore his string on his right wrist.
During the court proceedings, Brijmohan’s family and relatives shouted out that Gounden was lying when he told Van Rooyen: “The deceased’s wife, son and brother had travelled in Sewnath’s vehicle regularly and they too will confirm that Sewnath had no beads or idols and photographs in his vehicle. The family wants justice and they are not going to come to the court and lie for the accused.”
Brijmohan’s relatives were overcome with emotion and were warned to be quiet.
The trial continues.