A prominent orthopaedic surgeon who earlier faced charges in connection with an alleged hit planned against his neurosurgeon brother-in-law, has been stabbed to death in Durban hotel.
Police have confirmed that the 51-year-old orthopaedic surgeon stabbed to death on the 13th floor of an upmarket Umhlanga hotel on Thursday night, October 17, is Dr Melvin Naidu, says an MSN report. Naidu was allegedly with a 31-year-old woman known to him at the Capital Pearls when he was stabbed in the neck. Naidu, who had apparently been in his boxer shorts and sandals, collapsed outside the hotel room door.
The report says the police have confirmed that the woman has been arrested for the murder. Captain Nqobile Gwala of KZN SAPS said the incident happened around 10pm after an altercation between the two. She said other guests overheard the fight and reported it to the on-site security guard.
Naidu made headlines last year when it emerged that there had been a stand-off between him and his brother-in-law Dr Anand Rapiti, a neurosurgeon, says a Sunday Tribune report. It was alleged Rapiti, who was based at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, had hired one of his patients to kill Naidu.
Rapiti spent last Christmas in jail. It was reported that he enjoyed hunting, and allegedly suggested that Naidu be invited to a hunting expedition in which he could be killed, and his death staged as an accident. It was alleged that Rapiti had hired Desmond Maneveldt as “the hitman”, and asked him to cut off Naidu’s toes. Maneveldt alerted police to the alleged plot.
According to the report, advocate Paul Jorgensen, who had represented Rapiti, said his client no longer faced any charges. “We made representations to the State which cast doubt on the credibility of one or more of their witnesses.” Jorgensen said the State had then withdrawn charges against his client.
The report says attempts to contact Naidu’s wife were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
[link url="https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/man-killed-at-pearl-umhlanga-identified/ar-AAIZyNV"]MSN report[/link]
[link url="https://www.iol.co.za/sunday-tribune/news/family-of-doctor-murdered-in-umhlanga-hotel-vows-to-find-justice-35429770"]Sunday Tribune report[/link]
See also
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/kzn-doctor-arrested-failed-plot-murder-doctor-relative/"]KZN doctor arrested for failed plot to murder doctor relative[/link]
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/family-feud-drove-doctor-allegedly-order-hit-brother-law/"]Family feud drove doctor allegedly to order a ‘hit’ on brother-in-law[/link]
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/durban-doctor-back-court-conspiracy-murder-case/"]Durban doctor back in court over conspiracy to murder case[/link]