Shoddy work by investigators blamed for suspect’s acquittal

Navandhran Naicker was charged for raping and killing Tenique Stevens, whose half naked body was found by a fishermen at Cuttings Beach in Merebank, KwaZulu-Natal on June 5, 2012. Her body was covered with a black plastic bag, a rope around her neck and her mouth stuffed with a cloth, Rising Sun Chatsworth reported.

Naicker recently made an appeal at the Durban High Court to have all charges of rape, murder and theft dropped.

On April 17, during his court appearance, Judge Charmaine Balton said it was evident the investigating officer did thoroughly investigate the case.

“This court is left with many unanswered questions or insufficient evidence on various possibilities of how the deceased met her death,” added Bolton.

The deceased’s mother, Fiona Grieves said: “The moment the verdict was given, all I could remember was walking out of the court room and proceeding to the bathroom. I suffer with anxiety and could not accept what had just happened.”

“From the beginning, I have had a lack of faith in our police. They took my statement incorrectly, my voice was not heard and I am just outraged by the shoddy work done by the detectives that have allowed this monster to roam around freely,” added Grieves.

Angry members of the community and family have questioned the efficiency and thoroughness of the investigation conducted by police.

It is believed the deceased was locked out of her home on the day of the incident. She then flagged down Naicker’s van to ask for a lift.

It is alleged that the rope that was found around her neck matched the rope found in the van.

The State alleged that the rope found around Tenique’s neck was the same rope that was used on the van’s tarpaulin.

Naicker was arrested six months later after the incident and was found in possession of a phone believed to belong to Tenique.

It is believed it’s the same phone which was allegedly used by Naicker to call her mother before her death to say that she was at a friend’s house.

The charges were reportedly dropped last week because no reports of DNA analysis were submitted to court, and as a result, Naicker had no DNA evidence linking him to the case.

– Caxton News Service