THE family of a slain Gauteng woman have been left disappointed after the case against her alleged killer was adjourned to May.
Michaela Moonsamy Yellapan, 28, of Benoni, was shot and killed allegedly after two men opened fire on her, her husband, Cameron Yellapan, brother Jeremy Moonsamy, and two of their friends outside a restaurant in Boksburg in May last year.
Michaela, a financial accountant at a law firm, was shot once in the head and took her last breath in her brother’s arms.
Subsequently, Brandon Govender, was arrested and charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder.
On Tuesday, the matter was expected to be set down for a pre-trial conference in the Boksburg Regional Court. But it was adjourned to May.
Speaking to the POST this week, Jeremy Moonsamy said: “We are just disappointed that it took the court almost a year to move this case into regional court considering its seriousness, and then we get told it needs to be postponed again.”
Moonsamy said May 18 would mark one year since his sister’s death.
“There are cases that aren't even that serious but it is broadcast on television. This is a murder, but it seems it is being taken as ‘just another case’. But to us, it is not just another case. While we do want justice, we need the right people in the justice department to take the right steps, and to make good and Godly decisions,” he said.
At the time of the incident, Moonsamy recounted the events of that tragic evening.
He said his sister had gone out to dinner with a friend and he was having a “guys night out” with her husband, and a few friends at the same restaurant.
He said when Michaela was done with her dinner she joined them at their table.
“One of my friends had mistakenly bumped the shoulder of another guy at the restaurant. He was with a group of men that were intoxicated. They started an argument with us. On seeing this, the bouncers told all of us to call it a night and escorted us out of the restaurant,” he alleged.
Moonsamy said they were walking to their cars when one of the men from the group allegedly went to his vehicle and fetched his gun.
“He fired a shot into the air and we were all stunned. He then fired the second shot, which hit my friend in the face. At this point, we were all running for cover. My sister and I tried to duck behind some cars. The man fired the third shot, which hit my sister.”
He said the man’s friend, who was allegedly also armed, fired another two shots at them.
“This time, another friend of mine was shot on his leg. When the shooting stopped Cameron went to look for the shooters. When I looked at my sister, she took two steps back and said ‘Jeremy, I have been shot’. She then fell in my arms…”