Bulls cougar knew of back-up hitman
2010-11-22 22:34
Sapa and Fanie van Rooyen, Beeld
Pretoria - The 47-year old woman accused of conspiring to kill Blue Bulls rugby player Deon Helberg had a back-up plan in mind, if the two men she allegedly hired to kill Helberg failed to follow through on their deal, the Pretoria Magistrate's Court heard on Monday.
Manda Reyneke was granted bail of R5 000 on Monday, and will check herself into a mental institution within 24 hours.
Magistrate Edmund Patterson granted bail on conditions which included her not contacting Helberg or his family, as well as the two "hitmen".
The State had opposed bail saying Reyneke, who is the mother of Helberg's former model girlfriend, and wife to an anaesthetist, might orchestrate another shooting if released.
Job needs to be done
The court heard how she sent the two Nigerian men she allegedly hired to carry out Helberg's murder more than 2 000 SMSs, Beeld reported.
In one of these SMSs, she allegedly told the men that they were taking too long to complete the job.
If they were not going to follow through, she knew of another hitman in Centurion who would be willing, the investigating officer Gert van Staden is quoted as saying in Beeld.
"I'm sorry to tell you that this job still needs to be done," said another SMS read out in court by Van Staden.
Van Staden told the court that it would be best for Reyneke to go for mental observation. However, he said she was not a threat to herself and was not on any kind of medication.
Reyneke, who had her hair tied up and wore a long black dress, black hooded jacket and flip flops, will be voluntarily taken to a mental institution which she will pay for herself.
Patterson agreed, saying she should check in within 24 hours.
Mental observation
It was also revealed by Van Staden that Reyneke started plotting the murder three months ago.
There was an alleged love-triangle between 21-year-old Helberg, Reyneke and her daughter, Jalien Reyneke.
Reyneke allegedly contracted for Helberg's killing after he dumped her. The court heard how she threatened the two Nigerian men she allegedly hired to carry out Helberg's murder.
She occasionally cast her eyes down when some of the threatening SMSs and riddles she sent to one of the two “hitmen” she allegedly contracted were read out in court.
One such SMS, sent to one of the men at 17:10 on November 11, reads: "Be scared, be very afraid you have done me in and wrong with lies. You have never shot anybody the other night. That was revealed by the candle of truth."
Another reads: "The shaman (a messenger between the human world and the spirit world) says I must wash my car with the blood; of a chicken... CHARLATAN - you charged very much silver for no service."
According to Beeld, Reyneke even sent the men SMSs in Afrikaans and Dutch: "Maak toe die hek, die os is aan die brand, keer daar voor die ertjieland! Tiedel-diedel-die, tiedel-diedel-da, keer daar voor die ertjieland!"
"Den sprinkaan en den droogte is zwaar op onze land en wat van julle zal worde is bowe mijn verstant."
The men can't speak or understand Afrikaans or Dutch..
Not a flight risk
Reyneke was arrested in an undercover police operation on Thursday. She was caught by the Hawks at a Valuemart shopping centre in Pretoria after she allegedly handed over money to two Nigerian men, who she believed had killed Helberg.
But the two "hitmen" worked with the police to catch her, and even showed her a fake picture of Helberg lying "dead" in a pool of blood, as proof that she should pay them.
Reyeneke was swamped by photographers. She strolled alongside her lawyer Jacques Beetge to an awaiting car in the parking lot with what seemed to be a smirk on her face.
Beetge earlier indicated that Reyneke was not a flight risk and had another 17-year-old whom she needed to take care of back home.
He said Reyneke's face was in all newspapers but that she had support from her family.
The case was postponed to January 27 2011.
- SAPA