Accused cop bunks court because of his dog’s “retirement party”
Regan Naidoo police brutality case postponed again: “Now we’re really angry”, says family
Regan Naidoo’s mother Cookie Naidoo (bottom left, maroon top) and widow (bottom right, blue top), Kerosha Naidoo, with his uncle, aunts and cousin outside the Durban Magistrates’ Court. Photo: Benita Enoch
- The case of 14 police officers charged in relation to the death of Regan Naidoo was adjourned on Tuesday to allow the defence to appeal against a decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
- One of the accused officers was not in court as he was attending his dog’s “retirement party”. The magistrate decided this was insufficient reason to issue a warrant of arrest.
- The family have expressed outrage at this postponement.
Seven years after the murder and torture of Regan Naidoo, allegedly at the hands of 14 police officers, the matter was yet again postponed on Tuesday in the Durban Magistrates’ court.
State prosecutor Surekha Marimuthu noted that one of the accused, Devendra Chetty, was not at court because he was attending his “K9 partner’s retirement party”. Magistrate Mayne Mewalal stayed a warrant of arrest for Chetty.
At the last adjournment, the defence lawyers requested a postponement to approach the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on “various issues,” including an audio recording between a state witness and an unnamed accused. The defence is challenging the merits of the state’s evidence and wants Marimuthu to be removed as prosecutor.
On Tuesday, the defence lawyers told the magistrate that on 8 September 2025, the DPP had responded to the defence’s application saying it would not consider the requests. The lawyers said they would appeal to the National Director of Public Prosecutions.
Mewalal adjourned the case to allow for the outcome of this appeal, which according to the defence could take up to six months.
Marimuthu, in attempting to help expedite the trial, told the court she would attempt to get feedback in four to six weeks through internal structures, which would place the matter back on the roll on 27 November.
Mewalal agreed and adjourned until then.
Angry family
Outside court, Naidoo’s family were enraged.
Naidoo’s widow Kerosha, said she had lost faith in the justice system. She said the magistrate was lenient on Chetty not being in court “because of his dog’s retirement party, but we will never celebrate another milestone with Regan ever again”.
Naidoo’s mother, Cookie, said she had been holding her peace for seven years, but now she was done with being patient. “It’s time for us to show them how strong we are.”
The family said they would approach the women’s leagues of several political institutions. “We’ll go into our community if needed and gather supporters, if we have to,” said Naidoo’s aunt, Ruby Mahalingan.
Naidoo was detained for allegedly being in possession of a gun used in an unrelated crime. While detained, he was taken to RK Khan hospital where he was pronounced dead.
His family reported the suspicious circumstances of his death to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate. More than 20 police officers were later arrested, 14 of whom are now on trial for murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, torture and defeating the course of justice. The family also has a private pathologist report that will form part of its evidence when the case eventually goes to trial.
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