The suspects were arrested on Monday and made their first appearance in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, a week after Moodley was found dead in his car with a gunshot wound to his chest.

The arrests, made in the Pietermaritzburg CBD, followed a combined operation by crime intelligence, Mountain Rise K9 Unit, Loop Street Police Station detectives and RZS Security.

According to a source close to the investigation, one of the suspects reportedly confessed to shooting Moodley, following an alleged altercation over the deceased’s vehicle colliding with the suspect’s vehicle.

“There was no motive. There was an altercation with four suspects, over the how the deceased was going to repair the car. One of the suspects jumped into the vehicle of the deceased, and that is when the suspect shot the deceased from the passenger’s seat.

Also read: Pieter Maritzburg man murdered in car

“The deceased did not resist and was in the process of negotiating with the suspects, saying that he will pay for the damages. He was explaining that it was already morning and they could do something later. The suspect said he only realised what happened after the shot went off,” says the source.

Director of RZS Protection Radley Govender, whose team provides security to the Invesco Centre, says on hearing the gun shot, the guards on duty ran towards the direction of the sound.

“My guards were the first on the scene. It was around 02:00, the time when the clubs in the vicinity close. The roads were a bit busy as people were going home.

“My guards had noticed a stationary grey vehicle on the road. The gates were closed. Then they heard gunshots. They ran towards the direction to see what happened and saw suspects running towards a getaway vehicle.

“This is the first time in the last four years that an incident like this has occurred. It is usually a safe area,” says Govender.

The getaway vehicle, a Ford Fiesta was recovered, and the suspect was taken to point out the location of the hidden firearm.

Moodley’s heartbroken younger brother, Rajen Manickum, says he wants justice to be served for his brother’s death.

“This is a tragic death. I was shocked when I got the news about Gary. I went to the scene and the mortuary. In that moment, you can’t say or think anything more. This was a callous act. There is no respect for the sanctity of life. Justice must be served, as there is no medication that can cure the pain in our hearts.”

Manickum describes his brother as a gentle, fun and loving soul.

“He was a generous person. He was the owner of two Spar supermarkets. At the time of his death, he owned Mama’s cookies with his business partner,” says Manickum.

He adds that Moodley was planning an outing for their siblings at the time of his death. Moodley was a father of two and had one grandchild. He would have celebrated his 63rd birthday in June.

Manickum says the family is thankful to the SAPS for their swift work in arresting the suspects.

“Our family would like to thank SAPS and all the teams involved for their quick work,” says Manickum.

During their first court appearance, two of the three suspects were charged with assault and grievous bodily harm (GBV), while the third was charged with one count of murder. The case was remanded until May 19, for a formal bail application. The accused will remain in custody.