Casino predator: woman (74) charged with drugging and robbing elderly victims
Image: Yoshini Perumal
A 74-year-old woman has been re-arrested for allegedly drugging and robbing another vulnerable, elderly woman at Suncoast Casino.
It has been alleged that the suspect preyed on the victims in the casino by striking up a conversation and befriending them.
Hannah Naidoo, of Westville, was first arrested in October 2024 after she allegedly assaulted, drugged, and robbed a 92-year-old grandmother of R337 000 worth of jewellery and watches from her flat, in March of the same year.
According to the charge sheet Naidoo befriended the woman about a month before the crime at the casino, and their friendship grew. The woman lived alone.
On March 22, 2024, Naidoo and an accomplice - who is unknown to the State - had visited the woman in the late afternoon at her flat in the Durban Central Business District.
It has been alleged that they took cake and a milkshake for the woman.
The milkshake was allegedly spiked with a sedative known as benzodiazepines. Naidoo allegedly encouraged the woman to consume the milkshake, which rendered her unconscious. The woman was then allegedly assaulted and robbed.
Her son and grandson found her unconscious on her bed, two days after the robbery.
She was taken to hospital and regained consciousness four days later in ICU.
None of the stolen items were recovered.
Following police investigations, Naidoo was arrested and charged with robbery with aggravated circumstances and attempted murder.
At the time, Naidoo was granted bail of R5 000. She is expected to stand trial later this year.
Last Thursday, Naidoo was re-arrested on charges of attempted murder and theft. She appeared in the Durban Regional Court on Friday.
It has been alleged she drugged and robbed another woman at Suncoast Casino in May this year.
State prosecutor Calvin Govender told the court that on May 1, at Suncoast Casino, Naidoo was alleged to have put an unknown substance into the 66-year-old woman's coffee in an attempt to sedate her.
He said this resulted in her getting medical complications and she was admitted to hospital. The woman was allegedly robbed of R20 000 in cash.
Naidoo's attorney Advocate Ashwin Baijnath urged the court to hear the matter again at the earliest possible date instead of the seven day adjournment for a bail application.
He said Naidoo had cancer and needed to undergo chemotherapy on Monday (June 23).
Govender said the State would accommodate Naidoo, and ensure that she has access to her treatment, but she should remain in custody until her bail application.
However, by Monday, Baijnath had not provided the court proof of Naidoo having stage 4 cancer, details of her chemotherapy sessions or details of the facility she needed to be taken to or her oncologist's contact details.
She was remanded into custody at Westville Prison while she awaits her formal bail application.
Govender said the State was opposed to bail, and that two more charges, with complainants from Umhlali and Sydenham, are to be added to Naidoo's existing charges.
Suncoast Casino did not respond to questions at the time of print.
THE POST
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
10 hours ago
- IOL News
Investigating officer links police officer's movements to teenager's abduction case
The investigating officer in Kamogelo Baukudi's kidnapping case has linked a 42-year-old officer to the double-cab vehicle belonging to the State. Image: X The investigating officer in the abduction case involving Kamogelo Baukudi has revealed that the movements of the SAPS vehicle that was issued to the policeman arrested for the teenager's kidnapping match those of the victim's car and places the 42-year-old officer at the crime scene. Baukudi, 19, went missing for 20 days last month. Nzima Adoons, the police officer who is facing charges of kidnapping and extortion, appeared before the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on Thursday, where his bail application was postponed to next Thursday, July 10. Last month, Adoons was arrested after the vehicle, identified as a white double-cab, used to abduct Baukudi, was linked to him. Baukudi, who has since been reunited with his family, was found alive in Wepener, Free State, last week after being abducted while being driven home from Martie du Plessis Special Needs School. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Adoons has previously denied knowing Baukudi, his family, or anything else related to the kidnapping. However, during testimony before the court on Monday, the investigating officer revealed that the double-cab was assigned to Adoons at the time of the alleged abduction. "The description of the vehicle was given, and we know in most cases, even our supply chain knows which vehicles were allocated to whom on a particular day. This Toyota, as it was given, with dark windows that was identified as being from the anti-gang unit. A follow-up was made using the vehicle tracking system. Upon checking, all the GD6 Vehicles that we know about were also checked if they were never in that area, and there were no other GD6-type vehicles in the area," the officer told the court. Baukudi was rescued by the Free State police last Friday morning, after which five suspects, who have since been released, were arrested during the early morning operation. It is reported that the 42-year-old officer has been issued with a letter of intention for suspension for him to give reasons why he should not be suspended. "Your worship, as far as the documentation is concerned, it should be noted that this is not a suspension, but the intention for suspension. He should give reasons why he should not be suspended. The accused is invited to give reasons," said the State prosecutor to the court.
IOL News
10 hours ago
- IOL News
Yesu's legal troubles deepen: 14 new charges including kidnapping
Alleged taxi hitman, Vuyolwethu 'Yesu' Tshukela, failed to appear in the Athlone Magistrate's Court on Thursday. Image: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers The State has added a host of new criminal charges against the man known as Yesu, bringing the total to 18. But on Thursday, the Athlone Magistrates' Court heard that the accused, Vuyolwethu Tshukela, could not be brought to court, and his exact whereabouts were temporarily unknown. Tshukela, arrested last month in Welkom in the Free State after months on the run, initially faced four charges. These included murder, attempted murder, and extortion. However, the State revealed on Thursday that after consulting with a senior advocate, 14 more charges were added. Among them are kidnapping, robbery, assault, intimidation, malicious injury to property, arson, and a second count of attempted murder, this time allegedly involving a security officer. The State prosecutor told the court: 'Your Worship, the charge sheet at first appearance only reflected four charges. That has now changed to 14 additional charges being added after consultation with the State advocate.' Before proceedings began, court orderlies informed the State that Tshukela had not been brought to court. A police officer explained that when he went to Pollsmoor Correctional Facility in the morning, Tshukela was not there and had been moved the week before to another facility, due to safety concerns, but no one seemed to know which. 'The accused is not before the court, Your Worship. He wasn't brought from Pollsmoor this morning,' the prosecutor said. The State confirmed that arrangements had since been made with Pollsmoor officials to ensure the accused is present at his next scheduled appearance. The prosecutor added: 'Due to the higher risk posed by the accused, he is not kept at Pollsmoor. However, after speaking to the chief at Pollsmoor, arrangements have been made for him to be brought to court next time.' The court heard that Tshukela's legal representative had been consulted on Thursday morning and indicated that the accused would be abandoning his bail application. However, this could not be confirmed due to his absence. Magistrate Keith Le Keur expressed concern about Tshukela not being in court, highlighting the procedural importance of the accused being present. 'But the only reason he is not here must be in terms of Section 159(3)(c) of the Criminal Procedure Act, for example, if he were in hospital. There must be a medical certificate,' said Le Keur. 'Pollsmoor cannot simply decide to keep him there arbitrarily. Under normal circumstances, I would have postponed it to the next day to have him here and then roll the matter in his presence. The proceedings must happen in the presence of the accused.'
IOL News
16 hours ago
- IOL News
Man shot dead in Greenwood Park, Durban in suspected hit outside driveway
Tragic shooting in Durban: Man killed in possible hijacking attempt. A man was killed in a hail of bullets in the Greenwood Park area of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, on Thursday morning. According to KZN VIP, the victim was exiting a driveway on Avoca Road when a Toyota Etios pulled up alongside his vehicle. KZN VIP spokesperson Gareth Naidoo said an armed suspect alighted from the Etios and opened fire on the victim before fleeing in an unknown direction. Naidoo said medics from KZNVIP and another private ambulance service worked to stabilise the critically injured man.
