UCT prof dies in front of home

2008-04-24 10:33

Llewellyn Prince

Cape Town - A professor at the University of Cape Town (UCT) was killed by a single shot to his chest a few metres from his home.

Professor Kevin Rochford, 64, originally from Australia, survived a previous attack when he was attacked in his home a few years ago by axe-wielding robbers.

This time the attackers succeeded in killing him in the peaceful Kew Road in Mowbray.

Rochford is at least the fifth academic or ex-academic from the UCT who has been murdered since 2005.

He was buried in the Muslim tradition from his home on Wednesday afternoon

Many of his colleagues, students and his extremely emotional wife, Gadija, 36, attended the funeral service.

Fell into the road

He was an education associate professor.

The couple were married on March 21 this year and Rochford converted to Islam.

Before the funeral Father Terry Lester, an Anglican priest and Rochford's neighbour, told how his neighbour had first parked his car at about 21:00 in front of his (Lester's) house, "as his ritual was every evening after returning from work".

"He took his bags from the boot, put them down on his veranda and returned to his car to reverse it onto his property".

"After returning to his car, the attackers took him by surprise and shot him."

"He fell to the street screaming before a neighbour ran to his aid. All the neighbours came out to help, but the attackers had already fled."

Inspector Bernadine Steyn, police spokesperson said only Rochford's car keys were missing. His BMW was in police possession.

- Die Burger