The murder case of Etchings Gallery owner in Park Boulevard Centre, Durban North, will proceed in an open court after one of the accused turned 18 years old.
The gallery owner Alan Gordon (57) was killed on March 8, 2024, on Brownsdrift Road in Unit 3 at Durban North. Six men from iNanda have been charged with his murder - Mluleki Alex Gwala (20), Sphesihle Gift Vilakazi (22), Nkanyiso Mathenjwa (28), (Mnqobi) Mqobi Hoboyi (19), Mvelo Hlambisa (19) and Nkululeko Mpanza 18.
The accused are also charged with theft.
According to the State Gordon resided with Gwala and Mathenjwa. They were his lovers and employees. The other accused were friends to Gwala and Mathenjwa.
“Gwala had access to Gordon’s mobile banking app and together with Mathenjwa decided to kill the victim to appropriate his money,” the indictment read.
Additionally, the duo enlisted the assistance of their co-accused to execute their plan. “They decided to wait for an opportune moment to do so,” the State submit.
It is alleged that during the evening of March 7, 2024, one Thabani, a mutual friend or lover, was at the premises. On the following day, which was the fateful day, a disagreement arose between Thabani and Gordon. Thabani was ordered to leave.
Gwala and Mathenjwa decided that this was the opportunity to execute the plan to kill Gordon. “Mathenjwa left the premises with Thabani to ensure that he would not return and interrupt their plan of killing Gordon,” the State explained.
Gwala then arranged for Vilakazi, Hoboyi, Hlambisa, and Mpanza to enter the premises. Upon entering Gordon was accosted.
“Together with Gwala they assaulted him with a fire extinguisher and stabbed him several times in the neck, wounding him fatally,” said the State.
The accused loaded Gordon's body onto a VW Golf and transported it to a remote location in the Ndwedwe area where they disposed of the body, doused it with petrol, and set it alight; they then fled the scene.
The State said that at some stage after Gordon had been killed, the accused took R126 731.00, an Absa Gold Card in the name of Gordon, one silver Samsung watch, two Samsung cellphones, and a Thinkpad laptop. All the valuables belonged to Gordon.
The State alleges that the accused acted for a common purpose. The Durban High Court postponed the matter to April 22 for further pre-trial.
nomonde.zondi@inl.co.za