FOLLOWING the escape of the woman (54) charged for theft and linked with the murder of Merebank pensioner, Indrawathy Rampersadh, her family broke their silence and accused police of negligence.

Rampersadh’s son, Kishan Bridgelal, said the incident has left him deeply affected.

“The incident left a bitter taste for me. As far as I know, the suspect dropped a packet containing noodles and Rama margarine at the scene. Strangely, detectives emptied the packet and discarded its contents into the bin. Those items could have contained fingerprints that might have assisted with the investigation. The police only kept the plastic as evidence. To me, that showed a high level of incompetence,” he said.

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Commenting on the suspect’s escape from Wentworth Hospital while under police guard, Bridgelal blamed the police for negligence.

“They let her slip through their fingers. We understand that she jumped through a window in the toilet. At this stage, we are still searching for answers as to how a woman could escape through a high window at the hospital,” he said.

The Sun established that the suspect had been arrested on April 3 for theft after she was allegedly caught stealing from another elderly woman in Merebank.

Private security company apprehended the suspect

PT Alarms made the arrest and handed the suspect over to Wentworth Police Station. It is further alleged that while in the holding cells, the suspect attempted to take her own life and was subsequently transported to Wentworth Hospital under police guard.

“It has been three weeks since the incident, and I still do not know who the investigating officer is,” Bridgelal added.

He said on the day of the incident, he had left home at 12:45 to return to school.

“At 13:43, I received a call from my son asking me to come back home. When I arrived, my mother was lying on her side in her room. I asked my son to help me lift her, and as we turned her body, I noticed a black tie around her neck,” he said.

He described the experience as deeply traumatic.

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“My mother and I were very close, despite her age. We cherished every moment, seeing her smile and spend time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren,” he said.

Police confirmed that the suspect was under guard

Police spokesperson in Wentworth, Captain Mbuso Gumede, advised the family to lodge a complaint with the station detective commander.

“The detectives in Wentworth SAPS are investigating cases of theft and escaping. The suspect is not yet linked to a murder charge. Suspect is still on the run, but (the police) are still searching for her,” said Gumede.

He advised the family to lodge a complaint with the station detective commander or arrange a meeting with him.

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