This article may contain graphic and/or adult content unsuitable for minors and sensitive readers.
A Port Elizabeth man and his sister have recounted the events leading up to the murder of their mother in their Malabar home nearly three years ago.
Iresh Chetty and his sister Keshika were the first of 34 witnesses that the state will call in the trial of two foreign nationals accused of murdering their mother, 55-year old Kantharubie Chetty.
She was shot dead during a dramatic robbery at their Malabar home in November 2010 during which several shots were fired.
During his evidence on Monday, Iresh Chetty, said that the man who allegedly pulled the trigger was not in court. Police are still searching for other suspects.
In her testimony Keshika said that one of the men took her back to her bedroom and covered her with a duvet and left.
"During this time I managed to send a text message from my cell phone to the phone of my brother, Kresan, telling him that we were being held up."
Court documents state that their mother escaped from her bedroom at the first opportunity and activated the panic button on the alarm system.
"One of the assailants realised that the alarm had been sounded and shot at the deceased. The deceased was struck in the chest and died at the scene of the crime. The accused and their co-perpetrators as they fled the scene encountered the deceased's son, Kresan Chetty. They shot at him and he fired back at them."
Tanzanian nationals Iddy Baruti (25) and Sadick Waswa (24) face charges of murder, attempted murder, housebreaking, kidnapping and the unlawful possession of firearms.
