Durban — The Phoenix man facing five counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder, after allegedly setting his family alight in their home, is due back in the Durban High Court in August.
Kista Sergie Chetty is charged with the 2021 murders of his wife, Elisha Naidoo, 39, daughters Jadene, 13, and Aarav, 8, and sons Jordan, 9, and Aldrin, 3.
At the time of the incident, the family lived in a room they rented at a house in Kidstone Place in Phoenix.
Chetty’s brother-in-law Deon Naidoo and his family lived in the main house on the same property.
The six counts of attempted murder for which Chetty is being charged relates to Naidoo and his family, among them four minor children.
It is alleged that on the day before the murders, 57-year-old Chetty was chased away from the house after he had allegedly become violent towards his wife and her brother.
The man is alleged to have continued to harass the occupants of the house, demanding to be let back into the house.
His daughter Jaden, allegedly opened for her father in the wee hours of the morning, when his family were asleep in the room they rented and Naidoo’s family was asleep in the lounge.
The State says Chetty then decided to kill the occupants of the house. “He used an accelerant and ignited a fire in the bedroom, after which he fled the scene. The bedroom and adjoining rooms were gutted and all five deceased were burnt to death in the bedroom.”
In addition to the murders and attempted murders, Chetty will also stand trial for arson.
WhatsApp your views on this story at 071 485 7995.
Daily News