Casino Predator: Hannah Naidoo New Lawyer Argues the State Case is Weak

A Westville widow is petitioning to appeal a 10-year prison sentence after being convicted of drugging a 92-year-old grandmother’s milkshake and stealing R330,000 worth of jewelry. Hannah Naidoo, 74, appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court for seven other cases, including charges of attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and theft.

Naidoo has a long criminal record dating back to 1981. It is alleged that she targeted elderly people at Suncoast Casino, befriended them, then drugged and robbed them. Naidoo, who has four children, was denied bail for the seven cases in September 2025. Her new legal team, led by Advocate Yuri Gengai and instructed by attorney Chris Gounden, argued in court that the State’s cases were weak.

They also requested further information and particulars. State prosecutor Vaneshree Moodley said the defense had made a detailed request for particulars. She explained that responding properly would require her to visit the elderly victims to obtain further information.

Older woman with dark hair in a light blazer speaking into a microphone at a podium during a public event.

Hannah Naidoo

Moodley said the State therefore needed a further remand to respond adequately. Gengai said Naidoo was being prejudiced by the repeated postponements. He also told the court that they were appealing her 10-year sentence, which was imposed in November 2025.

“My client is currently serving a sentence in another matter, in which she is petitioning the Judge President,” Gengai said. He argued that bail pending the appeal had become difficult and prejudicial. He added that the State should clarify whether it had a case.

Gengai asked Magistrate Mayne Mewalall to mark the matter as final. Mewalall said she had noted the reasons for the postponement request. She said that because the complainants are elderly, the case could not proceed at the same speed as other matters.

She ruled that the postponement to obtain the requested information would benefit both the accused and the State and granted the application. The matter was marked as final, and the case was postponed to September.

Naidoo received the 10-year sentence for attempted murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances after she was accused of lacing the grandmother’s milkshake with sedatives and robbing her of more than R330,000 in March 2024. It was alleged that after drugging the victim, Naidoo left her unconscious for four days in her flat.

The victim was reportedly robbed of about R181,000 worth of gold chains and a Kruger coin, R106,000 worth of ivory and gold bangles, and high-end branded watches worth about R50,000. Police did not recover any of the stolen items.

Naidoo was refused leave to appeal her sentence and is now petitioning the Judge President for leave to appeal.

1981: First arrested for theft after robbing a complainant of money. She received 90 days imprisonment, suspended for five years.
1991: Convicted of offences relating to monetary debts and sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for five years.
August 2018: Allegedly robbed a 78-year-old woman from Sydenham of jewelry, a Mercedes Benz, and clothing worth R1 million.
March 2022: Allegedly robbed a woman from Sheffield Estates of jewelry worth about R350,000.
March 2024: Allegedly drugged and robbed a 92-year-old grandmother in central Durban, stealing jewelry worth R337,000.
September 2024: Allegedly drugged and robbed a woman from Montclair by putting sedatives in her tea and sandwich, stealing jewelry worth about R60,000.
May 2025: Allegedly spiked a 66-year-old woman’s tea and robbed her of about R20,000 at Suncoast Casino.