Murder-accused husband refused permission to attend wife's funeral

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Durban - “Goodnight my angel, see you in the morning.” With those words, the loved ones of Roxanne Thanthoni bid her farewell at her funeral on Tuesday morning at the AFM Church in Tongaat. A few kilometres away her husband Denver Marimuthoo, 28, was appearing in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court, charged with her killing as well as the theft of a motor vehicle. Represented by an attorney from Legal Aid, he asked for permission to attend her funeral. This was denied and he was remanded in custody until next week when he is due to apply for bail. The motive behind Thanthoni’s killing on Sunday morning is not clear at this stage. What is known is that the couple met at church and married in December last year. Both worked at a call centre in uMhlanga. On Saturday night they went out, only returning home after 7am.

The couple had planned to attend church that morning and spend the day with the Marimuthoo family in KwaDukuza. Then something happened that changed everything.

Ashen Beerbal, their landlord, heard the couple arrive from their night out in Umhlanga.

Friends and family bid farewell to Thanthoni on Tuesday.





“About 20 minutes later, I was making tea when I heard Roxanne screaming my name in a state of panic. I ran to check on her and saw them at the doorway. She was only in her underwear and bleeding from a wound or wounds on her chest.

“Before I could do anything her husband pushed her into the house and told me not to worry about her. She stumbled backwards and her movement caused the door to close.”

According to Beerbal, Marimuthoo only had his boxer shorts on and there was blood on his bare chest. Marimuthoo allegedly pushed Beerbal as he ran past him. Marimuthoo then jumped into Roxanne’s car and drove off.

He was arrested at his parents’ home in KwaDukuza by a rapid response police team.

Meanwhile, the fall had injured Beerbal’s hand. He tried to open the door but it had locked from inside. He then went to his garage, grabbed a hammer and used it to break open the door.

Inside he found Thanthoni lying on the ground. She was bleeding from several stab wounds and gasping for air.

He called the police and local private security company, Reaction Unit SA. However, by the time paramedics arrived Thanthoni had died.

Beerbal said the couple had been renting a portion of his house for about a month. However, from the little he knew of them, she treated everyone she knew with love and respect.

“I remember her mother-in-law had come over to stay the night and she treated her with as much love as someone would give to their own mother.”

Narainsamy “Babs” Thanthoni said he was still coming to terms with the loss of his only daughter.

“I still can’t believe she is gone. She was my angel. Like any father-daughter relationship we were inseparable. She would call me every day and we would never end the call without saying I love you.

“Every month she would give us R2000 from her salary to help us with our expenses. Over and above that she would still buy us groceries.”

He said that on the morning of the incident, his daughter called to confirm she would pick him up for church.

He said Thanthoni met her husband in church about a year and a half ago.

“It was his first time in church. Roxanne was giving her testimony on how she had met the Lord. He went up to her afterwards and told her he was inspired by what she had shared.”

Pastor Ronnie Naidoo of the Apostolic Faith Mission of SA, based in Tongaat, said Thanthoni grew up in his church.

“She was dedicated as a baby in AFM and attended Sunday school as a child and youth meetings as a teenager. She was a committed member of the church. Her death comes as a tremendous shock to us.”

Meanwhile, friends and family filled the church to bid a final farewell to Thanthoni.

In her obituary, Thanthoni was described as a super being: “She was a woman of very few words yet she had an impact on everyone who came in contact with her. She completed matric in Belverton Secondary and furthered her studies at Damelin College.

“From her humble beginnings, Roxanne was determined to make a better life for her and her family. She worked as an intern teacher in Johannesburg. She found her home at Rewardsco where she was a junior manager.

Her aunt Vanitha paid an emotional tribute: “She slept in my arms, she ate from my hands. I will miss her dearly. Today I say goodbye to you but in my heart I will cherish you always.”

Tiffany Naidoo who worked with Thanthoni became emotional when she spoke to the POST. “She was more than a friend to me, she was a big sister who always gave the best advice. It hurts me knowing I would never be able to see or speak to her again.”

Ward councillor Dolly Munien, who is related to the family, said Thanthoni often visited her and shared a special bond with her.

“She told my daughter that she wanted to have a baby. She wanted great things for herself and she did not deserve to suffer and die the way she did.”

She said the accused must be denied bail and remain behind bars for life.

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