Hitman gets two life sentences for Northpine murder
Hashim Dennis, who was 75 when he was murdered in his home after his son-in-law hired hitmen to kill him and his wife.
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Cape Town High Court handed down a sentence of two life terms and 15 years imprisonment for Reagan Davis, 35, who was convicted for his role in the murder and attempted murder that took place in Northpine, Brackenfell in January 2020.
The court sentenced Mr Davis on Thursday, June 19, to two life terms for the murder of 75-year-old Hashim Dennis and the attempted murder of his 70-year-old wife, Kulsoem, who were attacked while preparing for sunrise prayer, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said in a statement.
Mr Davis was a co-accused with the elderly couple’s son-in-law, Brent Williams, in this case. Mr Williams died on Monday, February 10, this year, from a heart attack while in custody.
According t o a statement from the NPA, senior state advocate Evadne Kortje proved that the murder was a contract killing and the accused was paid R1 000, which he used to buy takkies.
Advocate Kortje presented evidence of 10 witnesses, which revealed that Mr Williams and his wife, Ibtisaam Dennis, stayed with the elderly couple at their Conifer Close home in Northpine, Brackenfell.
“The couple had two children and had marital problems. Brent Williams hired Davis and another man, unknown to the State, to invade and attack his in-laws to "neutralise" his marital problems. At the time, the elderly couple stayed in a flatlet in the couple’s yard,” the statement read.
In the early hours of Friday, January 31, 2020, CCTV footage captured Mr Williams driving his maroon bakkie with the two co-perpetrators to the vicinity of Conifer Close.
“He dropped them and drove off to wait until they finished the job. They gained access to the property through a security gate, which was not forced open. The early hours of the morning, around 4am, are the time the devout Muslim worshippers prepare for Fajr - a sunrise prayer,” the statement said.
Mr Dennis was busy with the cleansing ritual in the bathroom; his wife was seated on the bed reciting passages from the Holy Quran before they would pray Fajr at 4.30am that day.
She heard the voice of an intruder asking where the money was in Afrikaans before launching an attack on her.
The intruder hit her on the head, neck, and chest with a gun. Severely injured and in shock, she lay on the floor, pretending to be dead as her burka (headscarf) fell over her face and she kept her eyes closed.
Her husband was attacked as he came out of the bathroom. When it quieted down, she got up and found her husband dead on the floor, bleeding from various stab wounds.
Her daughter heard a noise and noticed the bright light from the elderly couple’s flatlet. She went to investigate and met a knife-wielding intruder. She quickly turned around and closed the sliding door to the main house.
Moments after the attack, CCTV footage captured the two attackers running back to Mr Williams, getting in the bakkie and driving off.
The couple's daughter then called the police and her sister after she realised there had been a home invasion and an attack on her parents.
“Emotional family members expressed their gratitude to the investigative team for their dedication and perseverance in securing justice,” said provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie.
The court also convicted Mr Davis on charges of housebreaking with intent to commit murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, attempted murder of Ms Dennis, and attempted murder of Ibtisaam Dennis.
It ordered these sentences to run concurrently with the two life sentences.