Casino Conwoman: 74-Year-Old Sentenced to 10 Years for Drugging and Robbing 92-Year-Old Granny

Durban widow’s decades-long crime spree ends in prison time

In a case that’s left Durban residents stunned, a 74-year-old Westville widow with a criminal history spanning more than four decades has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for drugging a 92-year-old grandmother and stealing R330 000 worth of jewellery.

The woman, Hannah Naidoo, befriended her victim at Suncoast Casino, only to betray that trust weeks later in one of Durban’s most disturbing elder-targeted crimes in recent memory.

From Friendly Chat to Chilling Crime

According to court testimony, Naidoo visited the elderly victim at her Durban flat in March 2024, bringing along a milkshake and a slice of cake, a friendly gesture that turned sinister. The drink, prosecutors revealed, was laced with powerful sedatives that left the 92-year-old unconscious for four days.

By the time she awoke in hospital, her gold chains, Kruger coin, ivory bangles, and high-end watches, worth a combined R330 000, were gone. None of the stolen items were ever recovered.

Prosecutor Vaneshree Moodley told the Durban Magistrate’s Court that Naidoo had acted with an unknown accomplice, who remains at large.

“She preyed on an elderly woman’s kindness and used deception to gain access to her home,” Moodley said.

“We Found Her Semi-Conscious”, Family’s Heartbreak

The victim’s son, speaking anonymously to POST, recounted the horror of discovering his mother in a semi-comatose state.

“When I found her, I thought she was ill. The door was unlocked, and she was barely conscious. We rushed her to hospital, and tests later revealed she’d been drugged. Only when she got home did we realise all her jewellery was gone,” he said.

While his mother has since recovered, the family says the trauma runs deep. “We’re thankful justice was served. She’s recovering well, but the emotional scars remain,” he added.

“Too Old” to Be Dangerous? The Court Disagrees

Despite her age, Naidoo showed no signs of slowing down her criminal streak. In fact, she’s facing seven more pending cases, all involving similar patterns of befriending elderly women, drugging them, and robbing them of valuables.

When she was denied bail in September 2024, Naidoo claimed she was battling stage 4 colon cancer and needed chemotherapy. But medical testimony from Dr Rukaya Hoosen exposed her lie Naidoo was declared cancer-free.

Magistrate Ashwin Singh dismissed her plea, remarking that she was clearly well enough to frequent casinos late at night.

A Lifetime of Lies and Larceny

Naidoo’s criminal history reads like a timeline of deceit:

• 1981: First arrest for theft – sentenced to 90 days, suspended for five years.

• 1991: Convicted of financial crimes – six months’ imprisonment, suspended.

• 2018: Accused of robbing a 78-year-old Sydenham woman of R1 million in jewellery and a Mercedes-Benz.

• 2022: Allegedly robbed a Sheffield Estates resident of R50 000 in jewellery.

• 2024: Drugged and robbed a 92-year-old granny in Durban.

• 2025: Allegedly spiked another victim’s tea at Suncoast Casino, stealing R20 000 in cash and jewellery.

Durban’s Public Outrage

News of the sentencing has sparked strong reactions across social media, with many Durban residents calling for harsher sentences for repeat offenders targeting the elderly.

“Ten years isn’t enough. She’s been doing this since before some of us were born,” one X (formerly Twitter) user posted. Another wrote, “Imagine trusting someone you met at a casino and waking up robbed and drugged. Truly sickening.”

A Cautionary Tale for the Elderly

Naidoo’s conviction has reignited conversation around senior safety in South Africa, particularly in spaces like casinos, where older citizens often go for social interaction.

Security experts warn that predators like Naidoo exploit loneliness and routine to gain trust. Her arrest and conviction, however, serve as a wake-up call: trust can be a dangerous gamble.

In the end, justice caught up with Hannah Naidoo, a woman who spent decades perfecting deceit.
But for the 92-year-old survivor and others like her, the sentence is more than punishment; it’s a small measure of peace after a lifetime’s worth of betrayal.

{Source: IOL}

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