Son convicting of stabbing mother 27 times
Uveer Jaganath has been convicted in the 2021 killing of his mother, Jessica Jaganath, in Clare Estate.
On May 6, 2021, 25-year-old Uveer Jaganath was found guilty of murdering his 44-year-old mother, Jessica Jaganath, in their Clare Estate bedroom. The Durban Regional Court's magistrate Sophie Reddy dismissed Jaganath's defense that he was in a drug-induced state during the attack. Reddy found that Jaganath's actions were "hostile and cold-blooded," and that he demonstrated clear awareness of what he was doing.
The court rejected the defense's claims of criminal incapacity, as the evidence showed Jaganath intentionally stabbed his mother 27 times. The post-mortem examination revealed that the wounds, penetrating both lungs and the heart, were likely inflicted within a short period. Jaganath, a third-year student at Varsity College, had consumed cocaine and cannabis after a shopping trip with his mother and his then-girlfriend.
His mother discovered cigarettes in his bag and threatened to inform his father, leading to the argument that resulted in the murder. Jaganath showed no emotion as Reddy read her judgment, but broke down when she revoked his bail. He is scheduled to be sentenced in November.
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