Killers paint warning on door

2008-07-17 23:19

Virginia Keppler

Pretoria - "Your (sic) next"

This is what the killers of Ibrahim Aboobaker, 68, of Pretoria West wrote on his bedroom door after they had pulled down his pants, tied his hands and feet, and stuffed pieces of plastic in his mouth.

They also drew a picture of a skull on the door.

The attackers then robbed him of an unknown amount of money.

Ibrahim's brother Ismail found his body at 10:00 on Thursday.

Ismail said his brother had injuries to his legs.

"We presume his attackers may have kicked him.

"His body was lying behind his bedroom door," Ismail said.

Pockets had been turned inside out

"I usually sleep here, but last night (Wednesday night) I went to Laudium."

Ismail said Ibrahim always kept money on him.

He owned a house, flats and a café that he let.

"Before I left that night, I still gave him R1 300 from a tenant.

"I always told him, 'Ibrahim, let's count your money so we can bank it,' but he never wanted to.

"He kept his money in a crumpled-up jacket behind his bedroom door."

Their other brother Joe said that when they found Ibrahim's body, the jacket's pockets had been turned inside out.

"Ibrahim's room was also ransacked as the robbers possibly looked for more money.

"I can't believe what happened because Ibrahim was always quiet and almost never went out.

"He was also very sickly of late."

Robbed on previous occasions

Police spokesperson Sello Mofolo said Ibrahim's attackers had forced open a door to gain access to the house.

A friend of Ibrahim's, Tony Maphosa, 35, who works at the café next to Ibrahim's house, said he noticed at 05:00 on Thursday morning that the lock of the access door to Ibrahim's house was open.

"I thought perhaps he had forgotten to lock so I pushed the door closed and went back to the shop.

"He was a weak, old man; why did they kill him?" he asked in shock.

Maphosa said Ibrahim had been robbed on previous occasions.

He had told the police this on Thursday.

Shocked neighbours and friends assembled in front of Ibrahim's house later.

Ibrahim was buried in accordance with Muslim tradition on Thursday afternoon.

Mofolo said the police were investigating a case of murder and house breaking.

- Beeld