Suspects receive life sentences for MUT lecturer's murder

The South African

23-05-2025

The Durban High Court has given life sentences to suspects who killed and kidnapped Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) lecturer, Chanlall Dwarika.
Dwarika was kidnapped and murdered in May 2023. The suspects, who lived at his property in Sea Cow Lake, kidnapped the deceased with the intention of stealing money from his account.
According to Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), during the kidnapping, the suspects instructed the deceased to contact his wife and tell her to have his bank cards ready.
'The Electrical Engineering lecturer was handed down his phone by the suspects and instructed him to call his wife at their home in Ethekwini (location withheld), KZN, to have his bank cards sent to the vehicle when they arrived at the gate,' said RUSA.
Dwarika attempted to contact RUSA for assistance. However, the suspects noticed and removed the phone from his possession.
RUSA said, 'This angered them (the suspects) and they drove him to a canefield and slit his throat.'
The deceased was found partially decapitated in a cane field in Inanda.
One suspect was convicted of kidnapping and robbery with aggravating circumstances and sentenced to five years.
The two other suspects were convicted of kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances and murder. They were both sentenced to five years for kidnapping, 15 years for robbery and life imprisonment for murder.
Terry Jabulani Ngomane (35) was sentenced to 25 years in prison for murdering and robbing a pensioner and ex-police officer at his home in Theunissen.
Ngomane received 20 years' imprisonment for murder and 10 years' imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
'Five years' of the robbery sentence will run concurrently with the murder sentence, meaning he will serve an effective 25 years behind bars,' read a police statement.
Ngomane killed Sabata Tsoai at his residence in May 2018.
'His hands and feet were tied with cables, brutally assaulted and killed. His body was discovered a day later, with his property scattered throughout the house in Theunissen,' mentioned a police statement.
Additionally, a firearm safe was found open with a missing firearm and the victim's cellphone.
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