MAN SENTENCED TO TWO LIFE TERMS AND 15 YEARS FOR ARRANGED HIT ON ELDERLY COUPLE
20 JUNE 2025
MAN SENTENCED TO TWO LIFE TERMS AND 15 YEARS FOR ARRANGED HIT ON ELDERLY COUPLE
Cape Town, South Africa, The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the two life sentences and 15 years direct imprisonment the High Court of South Africa: Western cape Division handed down to Reagan Davis for the brutal murder of 75-year-old Hashim Ahmed Dennis and attempted murder of his 70-year-old wife, Kulsoem Dennis, who were attacked while preparing for the sunrise prayer.
The court convicted Davis, 35, on charges of housebreaking with intent to commit murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, attempted murder of Kulsoem Dennis, attempted murder of Ibtisaam Dennis and premeditated murder of Hashim Ahmed Dennis. It sentenced him to 15 years direct imprisonment for housebreaking with the intent to commit murder, 15 years direct imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances, life imprisonment for the attempted murder of Kulsoem Dennis, 10 years direct imprisonment for attempted murder of Ibtisaam Dennis and life imprisonment for the premeditated murder of Hashim Ahmed Dennis. It ordered the sentences of housebreaking with intent to commit murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and attempted murder of Ibtisaam Dennis to run concurrently with the two life sentences.
Davis was a co-accused with the elderly couple’s son-in-law, Brent Williams, in this case, but the latter passed away on 10 February 2025, shortly before the State closed its case. The trial proceedings continued against Davids. Senior State Adv Evadne Kortje proved that the murder was a contract killing and the accused was paid R1 000, which he used to buy takkies. Adv Kortje led evidence of 10 witnesses, which revealed that Brent Williams and his wife, Ibtisaam Dennis, stayed with the elderly couple on 6 Conifer Close, 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.
In the early hours of 31 January 2020, Brent Williams was observed through CCTV footage driving with the two co-perpetrators in his red maroon bakkie to the vicinity of 6 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 4 am, are the time the devout Muslim worshippers prepare for Fajr - a sunrise prayer. One of the five daily prayers in the religion of Islam is performed by worshippers throughout the world. Each commences with the taking of Wudu, the cleansing ritual necessary before performing prayers. Whilst Hashim Ahmed 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 4h30 that day.
They normally open the sliding door to their flatlet so that their daughter or Grandchildren could join them or pop in. She heard the voice of an intruder asking where the money was in Afrikaans before brutally attacking her. The intruder hit her on the head, neck, and chest with a gun. She chanted, "Allahu-Akbar" (God is Great) until she hit the floor. Severely injured and in shock, she lay on the floor, pretending to be dead as her burga (headscarf) fell softly over her face and she kept her eyes closed. She could hear shoving noises in the room as it was ransacked. Her husband was attacked as he came out of the bathroom. When it quieted down, she got up and found her husband on the floor, deceased, bleeding from various stab wounds. He had 15 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 who charged at her. She quickly turned around and closed the sliding door to the main house, saving herself and her two children. Moments after the attack, CCTV footage captured the two attackers running back to Brent Williams’s, getting in the bakkie driving off. The daughter called the police and her sister as she uncovered the home invasion and the attack on her parents. Police investigation pointed out her husband as the mastermind behind the attacks. Brent Williams was arrested on 20 May 2020 and made a statement to a commissioned officer in the South African Police Service, Davis. Davis was arrested on 10 June 2020 but disclosed no alibi to the investigating officer.
In aggravation of sentence, Adv Kortje argued that the murder was committed with direct intent, excessive force and in the context of housebreaking and robbery with the conspiracy to murder at the behest of the son-in-law as a contract killing. The attempted murder of Mrs Dennis involved sadistic violence against a vulnerable and elderly woman at peace during a prayer in the bedroom of her home.
Adv. Nicolette Bell, Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, applauded the efforts of the investigation and prosecution team to ensure justice for the victims of the gruesome crimes.
“It can never be overemphasised how important human life is and the NPA will continue being vigorous in its pursuit of these cases to serve as a deterrent to would-be murderers”, she ensured.
Issued by:
Eric Ntabazalila
National Prosecuting Authority
Regional Communications Manager – Western Cape
Tel: (021) 487 7308
Mobile: 073 062 1222