“MY SON’S killers should have been given the maximum sentence of life imprisonment, so that he could understand the severity of his actions and the impact it has had on us.”
A disappointed Ronelle Munilall was speaking after the sentencing last Thursday of her son Bryson’s killers, a year and half after his murder. She said neither his killers nor their families had shown remorse or empathy towards them.
Bryson, 27, from Port Shepstone, was stabbed in the parking lot of Dance Café, a nightclub, in Chris Hani Road, Durban in November 2022. He was the son of magistrate Bryan Munilall.
The accused – Joeash Govindsamy, 29, and his wife Aveshnee Naidoo, 23, of Greenbury in Phoenix – were arrested and charged with murder. They pleaded not guilty.
Naidoo was also charged for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. She pleaded guilty to this charge.
The couple have two children aged 8 and 4.
In January both accused were found guilty of murder. Naidoo was also found guilty of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
Govindsamy had two previous convictions of attempted murder and being in possession of a dangerous weapon.
In the Durban Magistrate’s Court, magistrate Mayne Mewalall sentenced him to 20 years’ imprisonment for murder and Naidoo to 10 years for murder, and four years for assault.
Ronelle Munilall said a lengthier sentence could have helped in the rehabilitation of both the accused, for their own benefit and for the benefit of their children.
“Although we know nothing will bring our son back. We now have some closure and we believe that the rotten fruit will fall by themselves,” she added.
During Thursday’s court proceedings, the probation officer’s report was presented, showing Govindsamy’s highest level of education was Grade 7 and he grew up in a home where his father was emotionally and physically abusive.
He had left school in Grade 8 because he did not have anyone to help him with homework. His mother worked and his father was in a new relationship and did not play any role in his life.
Naidoo’s highest level of education was also Grade 8 and she became a mother at the age of 15; because of this, her education was compromised.
The court heard that since their arrest and incarceration, their children were being cared for by Naidoo’s mother and Govindsamy’s sister.
The officer said their older child was well settled in school and the grandmother was providing adequate care with her old-age grant, their child support grant and help from Govindsamy’s sister.
“His sister is playing a financial role. She also takes care of them. She is building a bigger home and intends to take them if their grandmother cannot do so any longer.”
The officer recommended direct imprisonment for the accused.
Bryson’s sister, Caroline, read out a victim impact statement in court. She said Bryson had resigned from his job in Durban and was expected to return home in November but returned in a coffin. She asked the court to show no mercy, because the accused had behaved inhumanely toward her brother.
“The pain of losing him has left a hole in our father’s heart and he was my mother’s pet, always putting a smile on her face. She is overwhelmed, wishing she could have protected him.”
Caroline told the court Bryson was her best friend and she wished she could have him back. She said it was still difficult to deal with the loss and she had flashbacks of the tragedy every day.
She added that since then, the accused and their families had not offered any condolences or an apology.
“Justice means everything to us. It will give us closure so we can move forward. The maximum sentence will give us closure. The court should consider our family and that his life was cut short at 27. He never got to marry or have kids and my parents lost their only son.”
In handing down sentence, Mewlall said Govindsamy had two previous convictions in which a knife was used, and again he had used a knife.
“Previous sentences were not a deterrent for him. The manner in which he used the knife showed he had no remorse.”
The POST