A quick-thinking cashier described in the Durban high court on Tuesday how her intuition paid off when three people, accused of the murders of internationally acclaimed botanists, bought nearly R10,000 worth of goods on a card she didn’t believe belonged to them.
The woman, from Sportsman’s Warehouse at the Pavilion Shopping Centre in Westville, was giving evidence during the trial of Sayfudeen Aslam Del Vecchio, 41, his wife, Bibi Fatima Patel, 30, and Malawian Mussa Ahmed Jackson, 35.
The trio is charged with the kidnapping, robbery, theft and murder of Rodney Charles Saunders, 74, and his wife, Dr Rachel May Saunders, 63, in February 2018 in the Eshowe area.
The couple, who were living in Cape Town, had dual UK and South African citizenship.
The accused allegedly gained access to the Saunderses’ bank accounts, withdrew cash and went on a shopping spree for more than R400,000.
The employee told judge Esther Steyn the three accused, with a toddler (about two years old), arrived at the shop on the afternoon of February 13 2018.
She said they walked around the store putting things in their trolley.
In this case, accused 3 inserted the card on his own and removed the card on his own. The purchase was for R8,238.96. The description of accused 3, did not match the name on the slip.
— Sportsman’s Warehouse cashier
“I took notice of them because accused two 2 [Del Vecchio] was walking around the store and was very loud when speaking to the shop assistant. Accused 1 and 2 had their Muslim outfits on, while an African man (Jackson, accused 3) had a jacket. They then came to the till and they handed me items to scan. Accused 3 pulled out an FNB card from his wallet to pay.
“He then inserted the card into the card machine, and the sale went through. Two receipts are printed out [a customer copy and a merchant copy], and the merchant copy has to be signed and accused 3 signed,” said the witness.
She said after signing, she noticed the name on the slip was Dr RM Saunders, and the three people then left the shop.
She said the trio was at the store for about 20 minutes.
Copies of the slips were presented before the court and submitted as exhibits.
The witness said a customer usually gives them the card to insert into the card machine as they are meant to look at the name on the card.
“In this case, accused 3 inserted the card on his own and removed the card on his own. The purchase was for R8,238.96. The description of accused 3 did not match the name on the slip. Three days later, when I was looking at the paperwork and saw the slip, I took the matter into my own hands and investigated.
“I searched for the name Dr RM Saunders online on a website called Whitepages, and a number did come up, and I called that number. A lady answered the phone, and I asked her if Dr RM Saunders were available. She said the doctor was not. I told her I was calling regarding sale purchases that took place at a store,” explained the witness.
On the other end of the phone was the Saunderses’ worried employee and family friend, who also testified on Tuesday.
The witness, who can’t be named, worked for the couple for more than 21 years.
She told the court the couple were well-known collectors of plant seeds and special plants and she often escorted them to botanic gardens.
The witness said Rodney was an academic in horticulture, and Rachel held a doctorate in microbiology.
She said the couple would also travel around the country and world to give lectures.
The woman told the court the couple left on February 4 2018, to go to the Drakensberg to shoot a film for the BBC on various plants that grow in the area.
“They had a white Toyota Land Cruiser that they used to travel in. They used to have everything in it, including a fridge, sleeping bag, mattresses and tents, and it was like a house to them,” she said.
She said on February 8, they sent her a message to say they were going to the Bivane Dam in Vryheid and would be back on February 14.
However, a police officer came to the house on February 13, asking about their whereabouts. He told her there was suspicion the couple had been kidnapped.
Police asked her to provide DNA samples, and she submitted a hairbrush, nail scissors, a pair of takkies and earplugs.
On February 16 she got a call from a Sportsman’s Warehouse employee regarding the transactions at the store.
The case is ongoing.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.