The Durban High Court has convicted a 26-year-old alleged serial rapist for the murder of KwaDukuza senior superintendent Desmond Mariemuthoo Arugumam, who was killed on November 4, 2024, after he had unknowingly inquired about a taxi that was being robbed.
The man, who cannot be named until he pleads to the rape charges, stands accused not only of murdering Arumugam, but also faces six separate rape charges stretching back to 2022.
The alleged serial rapist had boarded a taxi from KwaDukuza to Durban when he suddenly pointed a firearm at the taxi driver and demanded money from him on the Groutville off-ramp.
The driver, who had stopped the taxi, gave him the money, and the perpetrator kneeled on the front seat facing the passengers, pointed a firearm at them while hurling insults, and demanded money and their cellphones.
Arugumam, who was driving a Toyota Fortune, came to the stationary taxi to inquire what was happening, and the driver, Bheki Xulu, told him they were being robbed.
At that moment, the perpetrator pointed the gun towards the officer and started shooting at him. Xulu was able to escape during that incident. After shooting the police officer, the perpetrator drove the taxi with the passengers and abandoned it in the Thembeni area.
Delivering his verdict on Friday, Acting Judge (AJ) Vikela Ntlokwana said he was satisfied with the evidence of three eyewitnesses. He said the testimonies of the witnesses were corroborated.
“They were able to identify his features and what the accused looked like. They were able to describe the clothing, his appearance, hair, and beard. The three witnesses were able to identify the accused at the identification parade,” Ntlokwana said.
He said the witnesses testified that the incident happened for about 15 minutes and concluded that they would have had enough time to look at the perpetrator.
Additionally, he noted that when the accused was arrested, he had shaved his hair so that he could avoid being identified.
He rejected the defence that the search and seizure conducted by the police was unlawful.
The police had used Section 22 of the Criminal Procedure Act to search the shack of the perpetrator to find the murder weapon. The gun used to kill Arugumam was found between the mattress and blanket of the perpetrator.
Acting Judge Ntlokwana said the ballistics report confirmed that the gun found at the perpetrator’s home was the same gun used to kill the senior cop.
The cartridges found on the murder scene show that they came from the perpetrator’s gun, which had its serial number erased.
Ntlokwana said cellphone records placed the perpetrator at the crime scene and rejected his version that he was at Kranskop on the day of the incident.
He noted that none of the people he mentioned as his alibi were called to testify. “That leaves the version of the accused as probably false,” the acting judge said.
“The court is convinced that the accused committed the crimes he was charged with. The court finds the accused guilty of all five counts,” he said.
In court, Arugumam’s colleagues had been out in numbers to come and support his family and to hear the court verdict.
Arumugam’s older brother, Buffy, said the family was satisfied with the court verdict.
He described his brother as a glue to the family who made sure to plan all family trips.
“He was a pillar of strength to everyone in the family and his colleagues. He was able to be there for everyone,” Buffy said.
Sentencing is set for January 2026.
