While the wheels of justice slowly begin to turn in the stabbing murder of Julian Ramiah, his family has expressed their disappointment and despair at yet another delay in the murder-accused Sarah Lee Naidoo’s bail proceedings. 

Naidoo, 29, is accused of fatally stabbing her lover Ramiah, 47, at his Bloubergstrand apartment on September 1, 2025, following a violent altercation.

At the previous court appearance at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on January 23, Naidoo was remanded to the Pollsmoor Prison until the next court appearance on February 6 for the continuation of her bail application. 

At these proceedings, the matter was postponed to allow the newly appointed Legal Aid attorney to consult with Naidoo.

The family and friends of Ramiah said their grief has been compounded by the 10 court appearances so far, which have dealt with the bail application, and by a recently published letter in which the accused’s family broke their silence in the interest of the child who was in the flat during the fatal altercation.

The Ramiah family representative, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they have been distressed by claims in the published letter that “evidence presented in court tells a different story” and implies abuse by Ramiah.

“While we understand the necessity of due process, these ongoing delays have placed an enormous emotional burden on those mourning Julian.

“Julian does not have the opportunity to defend his name. He cannot respond to allegations or offer his account of events. All that remains is the truth, as it must be tested in a court of law. The reality that a child was asleep in the same home when Julian was killed is something our community must carry with us forever.

“It is a sobering reminder of the seriousness of this case and the irreversible consequences of that night. We are not seeking to litigate this matter in the media. We are not asking for sympathy. We are asking for fairness, restraint, and respect for the judicial process and for the memory of Julian,” the family said.

The family added that they remain united in their grief and resolute in their call for justice, which will be “guided by evidence, truth, and the rule of law”.

In the letter by the family of Naidoo, they said: “Whilst we empathise with their loss, our silence until now has not been an admission of guilt rather, it has been a deliberate choice made in the best interests of the child at the centre of this tragedy, who will one day need to understand the truth about both his parents with dignity and compassion.”

chevon.booysen@inl.co.za

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