Durban - Details of a plot to murder a Kloof businessman were revealed on Thursday when two men admitted to their roles and named the alleged mastermind.
Hendrik Nunez and Jorgen Jorgensen pleaded guilty in the Durban Regional Court on Thursday to conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit assault.
The men had initially been charged with financial adviser Dain Neveling in connection with the plot to kill Neveling’s business partner, Grant Jones, in two incidents.
In terms of their plea bargain agreements with the State, they were given 10-year jail terms, which were wholly suspended for five years on condition they were not convicted of murder in the period of suspension. They were each ordered to pay R100 000 compensation to Jones and agreed to testify against Neveling.
Approached for comment, Neveling’s attorney, Jacques Botha, said he was aware of the pleas and believed they “raised more questions than answers”.
The case relates to an incident in July in which Jones was shot five times and was left paralysed.
In a second incident in October, the Hawks were made aware of the alleged hit and staged Jones’s “murder” with a police officer posing as the hit man.
Last week it appeared that Neveling was off the hook as conspiracy charges against him were withdrawn, but it is understood the charges are likely to be reinstated soon because of the guilty pleas of Nunez and Jorgensen.
On Thursday Jones, with his wife, Debbie, listened from the public gallery as details of the plot to kill him were revealed to magistrate Stanley Luthuli.
Debbie said the family were pleased with the outcome, and their faith in the justice system had been restored.
They had been disappointed with the withdrawal of charges, and last week met Director of Public Prosecutions Moipone Noko to complain about the prosecution of the case.
“We are glad that they (Nunez and Jorgensen) have taken ownership for what they did. We are very happy with the work of the investigating officer, Deena Govender, and how he has handled the case, and we also have faith again in the prosecution. This is the first step to having the truth revealed and we want justice to prevail,” said Debbie.
Jorgensen and Nunez said in similar plea statements read to the court that earlier this year Neveling had approached them about making more money from “debt collection work”.
Jorgensen said later Neveling told him that he and Jones had bought a debt book from a bank, but Jones was not sharing information from it with him.
He said Neveling wanted him and Nunez to obtain the debt book “by force” and to “rough up” Jones.
Jorgensen said on July 2 this year Neveling phoned him and told him that he and Jones were attending a seminar in Drummond and could use the opportunity to rob him of the book and assault him.
He said Neveling joined them in their vehicle and he (Neveling) allegedly fired several shots at Jones’s vehicle and they fled.
They learnt that Jones had been injured but was alive.
He said Neveling continued to pester him and Nunez about when they were “going to finish the job” and offered them R210 000.
Jorgensen said he and Nunez “could not kill someone”, so they approached another man, Martin Rivers, in September 2015. Rivers later introduced a man named Chetty, who he said would carry out the hit. Jorgensen said he gave Chetty a police radio, a blue light and a vehicle to do the job.
On October 26 Neveling phoned him and told him Jones was dead, and later gave him R10 000 and said he would hand over the rest the next day.
Jorgensen said he and Nunez were arrested when they arranged to meet and pay Rivers and Chetty, who they realised was an undercover police officer.
The men both said Neveling was aware of the plan at all stages and had supplied the money for the hit.
Both said they were remorseful and had got involved because of financial problems.
Neveling is currently charged only with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition and is out on bail.
The Mercury
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