The family of a 20-year-old Shallcross man are in search of answers and demanding justice after their loved one was stabbed and beaten to death, allegedly at the hands of his friends.

Luke Sigamoney, affectionately known as Rowen, died on the morning of Sunday, July 5, following a night out with friends. Two of these alleged friends were arrested last week and appeared in the Pinetown Regional Court on Monday.

Sigamoney’s loved ones also turned up with placards condemning the actions which led to the death of the young man.

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The victim’s sister, Nicole Pillay, spoke to the Rising Sun and stated that according to reports, her brother went out with the accused, Tyron ‘Ace’ Chetty and Trevin Singh, to the Durban July.

“It is unclear as to what exactly happened to Rowen over the next few hours, but he was stabbed and beaten to death. When I saw him, his face was beaten and bruised, his underwear was torn, and he had around seven stab wounds on his back. It was a deeply disturbing sight to see, especially when I had a closer look while washing his body. This was a child that I had helped raise, who was now lying lifeless in front of me. His face was bruised and swollen. He was still bleeding from his stab wounds, which required suturing as we changed him. His teeth were also loose,” she said.

Pillay added that mystery surrounded the murder as she alleged that the accused gave them fabricated stories.

“We were taken from pillar to post as these friends continuously lied to us about where the incident took place. We heard that it occurred at Mayville, Spaghetti Junction, Cato Manor, and we went with them to these locations as they spun different stories. Now in court, we heard that the incident occurred at the M7 off-ramp to Northdene. Apparently, a woman who had been in a relationship with one of the accused and was now in a relationship with the other, had been seated next to Rowen, before claiming that she was sexually abused by him while there. The accused allegedly beat and stabbed him after this. These guys are much larger in size when compared to my brother, who was not a person to do something like that. I believe that there is another reason for what they did as this woman, who lives only two roads away from us, has not been seen of or heard from since the incident. It is alleged that after the incident, they took him to one of their homes, where their father told them to take Rowen to the hospital. We were only informed of his condition on Sunday morning, where he was left all alone in the hospital,” she added.

According to the traumatised sister, Rowen completed his matric at Marklands Secondary School, and was planning on studying to become an electrician.

“He was extremely fun, always cracking jokes and a joy to be around. We have been struggling to come to terms with his passing and even more so with why someone would want to kill him in such a brutal manner. The accused are not even his close friends, so we are all really confused as to what happened and why he even went out with them. They did not even come to the funeral or to our home after the incident. We need the law to find out the truth about that night and ensure that justice prevails,” she said.

His obituary read: ‘Born on February 5, 2006, Luke was the ultimate blessing to his mother, her only child, cherished as ‘Baby Luke’. He was born after many long years of patient waiting and praying. From the very beginning, he filled her life with boundless joy and vibrant energy. Luke was an exceptionally inquisitive individual. His mischievous mind was always trying to figure out how the world worked, especially electronics, a trait that often led him to dismantle and sometimes break almost anything he could get his hands on. This natural curiosity fuelled his passionate dream of becoming an electrician. Though faced with deep tragedy early in life when both his beloved mother and father passed away before he entered high school, Luke’s spirit was never broken. He grew into a young man defined by his sharp sense of humour, his deep respect for others and a fierce, unwavering protectiveness over the people he loved. Following the loss of his parents, Luke was raised and guided through his teenage years by his devoted aunt and uncle, who stepped in as his legal guardians. While Luke was taken from us all too soon, we take comfort in knowing that his bright, tireless energy is now perfectly at peace in the presence of the Lord, where his strength is forever made new. He leaves behind a legacy of laughter and love, and will be deeply missed by all.’

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The accused, who appeared in court, were granted bail of R2, 000.

They will reappear in court next month.