'A Trojan Horse in Petersen household'

2008-12-02 12:52

Verashni Pillay

Cape Town - Najwa Petersen was found guilty in the Cape High Court on Tuesday of murdering her husband, music legend Taliep.

In his ruling Judge Siraj Desai said Petersen's testimony in court has been "festered with lies" and added that the version of events given by accused turned state witness, Fahiem Hendrick, was the most plausible.

Desai found Najwa, Abdoer Emjedi and Waheed Hassen guilty of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

Hassen was found guilty on firearm and ammunition charges.

The fourth accused, Jefferson Snyders, was found not guilty of murder but convicted on one count of robbery with aggravating circumstances.

The court, packed with observers and journalists, listened attentively as the judgment was handed down in the sensational case, which has dragged on since Peterson's death in December 2006.

Desai started reading his judgment on Monday morning after a month of deliberation.

Najwa sat in the dock alongside her co-accused Abdoer Raasiet Emjedi, Waheed Hassen and Jefferson Snyders.

She was accused of masterminding the murder, hiring her co-accused as hitmen and trying to pass it off as a robbery gone wrong.

'Co-operated with robbers'

Desai said Petersen's behaviour "tends to show that she was co-operating with the robbers".

He also said she was unable to explain why she didn't phone the police after being locked in the main bedroom, but rather phoned others.

Desai pointed out that the Petersen household was very security conscious and it was unlikely the robbers would have been able to break in. "The conclusion is inescapable that there was a Trojan Horse in the Petersen household that facilitated their entry."

- News24