November 29 2016 - [⚠️: murder, brutality, home invasion] Durban - Was a former #Durban district surgeon gagged and murdered to silence her from testifying and giving medical evidence against a rapist or abuser? That is the question that is haunting the friends and colleagues of #DrVajnahBanooMohamed, whose decomposed body was found in her #DurbanNorth home last Tuesday. Mohamed, 63, had told at least two organisations which assist sexually abused children that she had recently received death threats. “In this business we all get threats, but she told me three months ago that they are going to kill me’,” recalled Jackie Branfield, founder of the Bobbi Bear human rights organisation that helps sexually abused and raped children. Mohamed, however, did not provide any details. Another organisation confirmed on Monday that the doctor had said the same to them 18 months ago. Although Mohamed had retired in May as the #districtsurgeon at #PrinceMshiyeniHospital in #uMlazi, where she carried out medical examinations on victims of rape, #sexualabuse and #domesticabuse, she still had outstanding cases where she had to testify and present her findings in court against the alleged perpetrators. “Part of her job was to defend her findings and she was the sort of person who would not budge (in her evidence),” Branfield said. Another source explained that a district surgeon was the first step in the collection of evidence in #rapecases. And if a sample was taken from a rape victim and was later linked by DNA, then a doctor’s evidence would be damning for the perpetrator. “The irony is that Dr Mohamed’s evidence would have been well documented before a court hearing and another doctor could testify on her findings in court.” Mohamed’s body was found by a neighbour at their gated complex at Brown’s Drift Road, Durban North. Masking tape had been bound around her face. Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane said that Greenwood Park police were called to the scene where they found the doctor lying on the bedroom floor with head injuries. (📰: http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/was-durban-doctor-killed-to-silence-her-2094387) #violenceagainstwomen (at Durban North)