Fifteen-year sentence for Shakaskraal murder accused

The life of Shakaskraal teenager Upkaar Basdeo was cut short before it had a chance to properly begin.

The 17-year-old was brutally killed by one of his childhood best friends in February 2021.

The accused was last month sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for murder at the KwaDukuza Court, running concurrently with five years for theft.

On the day of the murder, Basdeo was at the family home with his sister, who left to pick up their mother from work at around 4.45pm.

Upon their return at 6pm, they found Basdeo’s lifeless body in a pool of blood in his bedroom after he was stabbed seven times in the chest and twice in the neck.

A laptop and cellphone were also stolen in an alleged attempt to cover up the murder as a robbery.

Following an investigation by Umhali Saps officer BP Mthembu, the accused was arrested a few days later after selling the stolen items and on the testimony of witnesses who saw him leave the Basdeo home.

He admitted to the charges, although he later recanted his statement in court which led to a ‘trial within a trial’.

Led by state prosecutor, advocate Paul Nel, the court heard testimony of Basdeo’s character which was backed by a 297-signature community petition seeking the maximum sentence for the accused.

The Basdeo family expressed relief that the trial had concluded, after enduring a terrible two years which saw them relocate to Johannesburg.

“The disturbing trauma of finding Upkaar’s lifeless body in the secure confines of his safe haven, combined with the gut-wrenching agony of wondering what excruciating pain he would have suffered while the accused mercilessly and repeatedly drove a butchers knife into his fragile body, will linger on in our minds forever,” said the family, via a spokesperson.

“No sanction imposed against the accused would ever be adequate to satiate the void felt by a grieving mother or appease the anguish of a broken sister, nor coagulate the bloody tears of a devasted father. But the court has sent a very strong and direct message herein by not deviating from the minimum sentence and holding no punches in chastising the accused of his horrendous actions.”

Given the concurrent ruling, the accused faces 15 years of effective imprisonment.

“The family is genuinely grateful to all those who have rallied around them and thanks each and every one for their kindness.

“As far as the trial is concerned, they especially thank the dedicated members of the Umhlali Saps, including the investigating officer Inspt. Mthembu, the prosecutor Adv. P Nel, watching-brief attorney Ravin Singh, the valiant state witnesses as well as the magistrate for the professional manner in which they attended to this case,” said the family spokesperson.

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