Preshalin Naidoo found guilty for Simba & Kady's deaths

Justice for Simba and Kady. That’s the verdict from friends and family of Top Billing presenter Simba Mhere and his friend, Kady-Shay O’Bryan, who were killed in a car accident in 2015.

Preshalin Naidoo was on Wednesday found guilty of culpable homicide by the Randburg Magistrate’s Court. He has been released on warning pending the release of a probation officer’s report.

Naidoo’s case was postponed to March 9 for the probation officer’s report.

Emotions ran high on Wednesday as the Randburg Magistrate’s Court delivered judgment in the case against the man who allegedly caused the death of Top Billing presenter Simba Mhere.

As Magistrate David Mahango recounted evidence led in court throughout the trial‚ Mhere’s sister Valerie could be seen crying. Her mother‚ Angela‚ looked down with her eyes closed.

Simba Mhere’s parents Angela and Joseph seated next to family members and friends of Preshalin Naidoo,the man accused of causing Simba’s death. Image: Nomahlubi Jordaan

On the other side of the packed courtroom‚ the mother of Preshalin Naidoo‚ the man accused of causing Mhere’s death‚ also wept while listening to Mahango reading her son’s evidence.

Naidoo has pleaded not guilty to counts of culpable homicide and reckless and negligent driving. He has argued that a mechanical failure had caused the accident. He denied he had consumed alcohol prior to the incident.

This is despite witnesses’ evidence that Naidoo smelt of alcohol and that his mother was seen removing a bottle of vodka from his car at the scene.

Closure for the family of Kady & Simba

Jonathan Boynton-Lee, who was one of Simba’s best friends, was in court when the verdict was handed down. He said the family finally has closure.

“We are all very happy because this is the closure the families have been waiting for. The trial has dragged on for three painful years. It’s finally over,” he told TshisaLIVE.

Magistrate David Mahango said that Naidoo’s version that the car he was driving on the morning of the incident had a mechanical failure was improbable.

The crash involved three cars and happened on January 31, 2015.

Mhere and his friend O’Bryan were travelling on William Nicol Drive in Johannesburg when a car rammed into their vehicle.

Mhere’s father, Joseph, who was also a passenger in the vehicle survived.

He testified in the case and those close to the Mhere family say they are happy that justice has been served.

The magistrate said Lawrence Stroger from a car-tracking company had testified that according to their records, Naidoo had been recorded exceeding speed limits numerous times before the fatal crash occurred.

He said evidence stated that the vehicle was travelling at 166km/hour along William Nicol Drive. The speed recorded zero a few seconds later.

The speed limit along the road is 60km/h.

The National Prosecuting Authority has welcomed the judgment.

Sources: TimesLIVE / IOL