SA temple priest surrenders for murder

Kalimuthu Thangavelu Govender, a priest at the Sree Ramulu temple in the Mayville area of Durban, surrendered at the local police station.

A Durban temple priest, wanted in connection with the murder of a South African Indian woman, has turned himself in to the police.

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Kalimuthu Thangavelu Govender, 46, a priest at the Sree Ramulu temple in the Mayville area of Durban, surrendered at the local police station Monday morning, according to reports.

He had gone missing after the body of Premla Pillay, 49, was found at the temple earlier this month.

A report in the Mercury quoted Durban South Police spokesman Thulani Mkhize as saying that Govender, also a South African Indian, told police when he handed himself over that he did not remember the incident.

Pillay was last seen alive earlier this month at the temple with Govender. Her body was found in the living quarters of the complex.

According to the victim's son, she had gone to the temple to collect a religious lamp that she had given to the priest to bless a few weeks prior to the incident.

Pillay's murder came to light when she failed to report at her place of work on September 11 morning.

Security cameras at a city casino revealed Govender arriving in Pillay's car later that evening and gambling.

He had then apparently gone into hiding.

Meanwhile, family members of the victim said that no amount of punishment to the guilty would bring any comfort to them.

"This doesn't change anything. No amount of punishment would ever bring her back. My mum is still dead," the victim's son, Kershin, said.