Kista Sergie Chetty, 59, was given five life sentences by the Durban High Court in South Africa for the murders of his wife, their three children, and a relative.
Following a furious disagreement, Chetty set fire to Elisha Naidoo, 36, Jadene Naidoo, 13, Liam Naidoo, 8, Jordan Naidoo, 8, and Aldrin Chetty, 4, killing them all. Their home was located on Kidstone Place, Phoenix.
In a statement released on Monday, December 4, 2023, the provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, stated that in addition to the life sentence, the man was also sentenced to 49 years in jail for six counts of attempted murder and arson.
“Chetty rented a home in Kidstone Place, Phoenix, with his wife Elisha Naidoo and their five small children. Along with his wife’s brother, they shared the home, according to Ramkisson-Kara.
The people in the house went to sleep after Chetty pestered them and demanded to be allowed back inside.
“Chetty was allowed back inside the house in the early hours of November 1, 2021, when one of her daughters opened the door. Chetty chose to kill them once she was inside the house, according to Ramkisson-Kara.
Chetty, a grass-cutter by trade, dumped gasoline across the floor after decanting it from a grass-cutting equipment.
“After starting a fire, he left the area. Along with other nearby rooms in the house, the bedroom where his wife and kids slept was completely damaged by the fire, according to Ramkisson-Kara.