Durban — The brother of a local gallery owner who was allegedly murdered by six accused, including a minor, has called for the courts to hand the accused a lengthy jail term if they are convicted.
Currently, the six remain incarcerated after having been refused bail last month by the Durban Magistrate’s Court. They are expected back in the dock on Tuesday.
They are charged with the murder of Alan Gordon who was stabbed and strangled. His body was put into his car and driven to the Ndwedwe area where it was dumped and set alight on March 8.
Nkanyiso Mathenjwa, 27, Mnqobi Hoboyi, 18, Siphesihle Vilakazi, 22, Mvelo Hlambisa, 18, 19-year-old Mluleki Alex Gwala, and the 17-year-old are also charged with stealing R120 000 from Gordon.
Gordon, 57, owned Etchings Gallery in Park Boulevard Centre, Durban North, close to his Brown’s Drift home.
On Friday Gordon’s brother Brian said the family found solace in the fact that the accused were denied bail, taking into consideration the serious nature of the crime and what had been done to his brother.
“If in the end the court finds them to have killed my brother, a sentence that would be appropriate, even though it will not bring back my brother, would be life. I know there might be a chance some will not get life since they are young. Given this fact, 30 to 40 years will be suitable. If any of them do get life, we hope it is life without parole. It was six people against one. My brother was not given much of a chance.”
He described the manner in which Gordon was murdered as horrendous.
“I had to go to the morgue to identify his body and it was not nice seeing him burnt like that. Justice for this would be as long a jail term as possible,” said Brian.
Greenwood Park police arrested the six after investigations stemming from Gordon’s disappearance.
“We are very happy with the Greenwood Park police station, and how they managed to solve the case so quickly. The police have done a fantastic job and now we just wait for the prosecution and see what goes on in court,” Brian said.
Investigations led police to two men who allegedly lived with Gordon who provided leads revealing that he had been murdered and that his body was in the Ndwedwe area.
Four of the accused were arrested in Inanda.
It is alleged that one of the suspects said he was in a relationship with Gordon. This suspect handed himself over to police and allegedly had Gordon's cellphone in his possession.
More investigations after the suspects were in custody led to the police being shown the house where Gordon was allegedly killed and the spot where his body was dumped.
Court proceedings have been held in camera and only the parents and relatives of the accused and the deceased are allowed in court.
It will remain this way until the finalisation of the case.
Independent on Saturday