Money squabble sees father burn to death
An argument about money between a father and son turned fatal when the father died in hospital from burn wounds on Wednesday, 16 October.
Montclair SAP’s communications officer, Lt Leopold Jojozi said: “From what we have been told by the daughter of the deceased, she received a call from her brother informing her that their father was involved in an accident and was taken to King Edward Hospital VIII. She then went to the hospital. On arrival, she asked her father what happened and he allegedly told her to ask her brother. She then raced back to his flat in North Ridge Park, Woodhaven. She found her father’s bedroom door forced open and asked her father’s colleague what transpired. He then said he had rescued her father.”
“In the colleague’s account of the incident, he said he heard a big bang and assumed it was a car accident. He said when he looked outside the window, he saw flames coming out of the deceased’s flat and went to see what was happening. His son was outside on the balcony, and when he was asked for the bedroom key, he said there wasn’t one. The man said he kicked the door open, threw a towel on the deceased and pulled him out of the fire.”
The deceased sustained burn wounds all over his body. It is alleged the argument started after the son could not pay for a vehicle he had rented and when he asked his father for money, he allegedly refused to give it to him.
His 20-year-old son along with his friend (36) were arrested and charged with murder. They appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 21 October.
– mbalim@dbn.caxton.co.za
