Chanelle Henning killer in tears
2012-11-27 18:18
Pretoria - Convicted murderer Willem Pieterse wiped tears from his face while testifying in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday about Chanelle Henning's murder.
Pieterse was testifying in the trial of former Nigerian Olympic athlete Ambrose Monye and André Gouws.
He told the court that Monye and Gouws met him and fellow convicted murderer Gerhardus du Plessis on various occasions to arrange Henning's murder.
The 26-year-old woman was shot dead while driving her car in Faerie Glen, Pretoria East, on November 8 2011 shortly after dropping off her child at a crèche.
‘I couldn’t shoot her’
Pieterse testified that there were two failed attempts to kill Henning.
The day before her murder he tried to kill her when Du Plessis pulled out at the last minute.
He said he phoned a man known as Sly - Monye's right-hand man - to tell him he had followed Henning.
"I said I was there, but I couldn't shoot her," Pieterse said.
Monye was angry because Henning was still alive, he said.
He was told to inform Du Plessis that Monye wanted it done as he had already given them money.
"Ambrose said if [Du Plessis] didn't do the job, he will shoot wives, children, dogs, everything."
Pieterse tearfully described waiting for Henning outside her housing complex and following her to the crèche. He parked his motorcycle behind her car.
"Du Plessis got off the bike and walked towards her door and fired one shot."
Her car moved forward past a tree and a stop sign.
"Du Plessis ran after the car and fired one more shot and the car ran down the road."
‘For drugs and money’
They drove off. Du Plessis was dropped off not far from the crèche.
He said this was done because police would look for two men on a bike.
"I phoned [Monye] and told him the job was done," Pieterse said.
When asked why he had taken the job, he replied: "Drugs and money."
Throughout his testimony, Henning's parents Sharon and Ivan Saincic cried.
Pieterse and Du Plessis claimed they would each have been paid R10 000 to carry out the shooting.
Both accepted a plea bargain and were convicted in December last year of murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm, and possession of unlicensed ammunition.
They were each sentenced to 18 years in prison.
- SAPA
