Durban hijacking: Sadia Sukhraj's alleged killer defiant in court

A 39-year-old man‚ charged with the murder of nine-year-old Sadia Sukhraj‚ refused to spend another night in custody at a police station because he did not want to sleep on the floor.

Sibonelo Mkhize‚ also charged with theft‚ kidnapping and the murder of his accomplice‚ appeared in the Durban Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.

State prosecutor Surekha Marimuthu asked the court to keep Mkhize in custody at the Durban Central Police Station for seven days while investigators verified his address. Mkhize shook his head and repeatedly mumbled "no" as the request was made.

His Legal Aid-appointed lawyer Anele Mveku told Magistrate Mohammed Motala that her client did not want to stay at the police station because he was assaulted by officers who were trying to get a confession out of him. Mkhize wanted to be in custody at Westville Prison.

Marimuthu argued that the bruises on Mkhize's face were from injuries sustained during his arrest on Monday.

"He was not assaulted in the police station‚" she told the court.

She explained that it would be easier for police to take Mkhize from the police station to his home to verify his address than from the prison. But Mkhize continued to refuse.

When she suggested that he spend just one night behind bars at the police station‚ Mkhize clicked his tongue and put up his hand again to consult with his lawyer.

Mveku then told the court that her client did not want to spend a night at the station because he did not want to sleep on the floor. It was then agreed that Mkhize would be remanded to prison for the night.

"Police will pick him up from prison and take him to verify his address and bring him back to this court to appear‚" Marimuthu said.

When Motala asked why Mkhize was being charged with theft instead of robbery‚ Marimuthu said the charges against him were provisional and would change at a later stage.

While the names of the victims were not mentioned in court‚ Marimuthu confirmed to TimesLIVE that Mkhize was charged with the murders of Sadia and his alleged accomplice‚ who died at the scene.

Sadia had been with her father Shailendra Sukhraj on a school run on Monday morning when he was pulled from the car while in the driveway of her grandfather's Shallcross home by three men‚ who then sped off with Sadia – her father in pursuit.

From whose gun the fatal bullet was fired remains veiled in mystery. The hijackers' escape was cut short when they collided with a truck and lost control of the car‚ which spun and came to rest in a neighbourhood park. One of the men fled the scene. Mkhize was arrested while a third accomplice died near the stolen car.

The injured girl‚ found lying in the car‚ is understood to have been rushed to hospital‚ where she later died. She was buried at the Shallcross Cemetery on Tuesday after a highly emotional funeral service at the Christian Revival Centre‚ where close to 3‚000 mourners paid their last respects.

Her grief-stricken family was not present in court on Wednesday.

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