Durban - An uThongathi woman who confessed to murdering a fellow church congregant has told the Durban High Court that her pastor - her alleged accomplice - promised to fund her wedding if she agreed to help with the crime.
Cheryl Perumal, 28, was testifying in mitigation of sentence on Tuesday after confessing to playing a part in the murder of Elaine Pillay in October 2011.
The petite woman said her co-accused, Sagree Govender, 44, a former pastor of the Faith Deliverance Ministries - whom she regarded as a mother - had told her that if she went along with the plan to murder Pillay, she would pay for Perumal’s wedding.
“Yes, I took part because I wanted financial gain,” Perumal said. “I felt so vulnerable. She had this control over me. At the time of the crime I was not thinking straight.”
Asked by her advocate, Kavita Bheemchand, if she felt any remorse, Perumal - wiping away tears - said she did. Perumal said she wanted to apologise to Pillay’s family.
Bheemchand told the court that while murder was a despicable crime, Perumal could be rehabilitated.
She had been taken advantage of by an older person she regarded highly.
Earlier, Perumal, who lived with Govender and her husband, Pastor Jeff Govender, since she was a teenager, said Sagree Govender had forced her to help kill Pillay.
She confirmed the State’s case that Govender was having an affair with Pillay’s husband, Thavan.
Perumal, in her guilty plea on Monday, said Govender had told Pillay to lie on her chest, sing a song and pray.
“She obliged. Govender signalled to me to put a plastic over Pillay’s head. I did not do so because I was afraid,” she said.
She said a struggle ensued between Govender and Pillay, who then ran towards the door, screaming, “Why are you doing this to me? I love you.”
Perumal said Govender instructed her to hold Pillay while she strangled her with a scarf from behind.
“The deceased bled from her mouth. I let go of the deceased as I could see she was becoming lifeless.”
Perumal confessed that she and Govender stuffed Pillay’s body in a suitcase, which was later rolled down an embankment and the body dumped.
Pillay’s sister-in-law, Chantelle Francis, testifying in aggravation of sentence on Tuesday, told of the pain Pillay’s family, including her children, aged 11 and 15, had suffered since her death.
“They (had) all lived happily in Tongaat, but now their lives are shredded.
“Their father remarried, but his wife does not want to live with them - that is why they are in foster care.
“The kids are not the same,” Francis said.
State advocate, Brenda Sibaya, said: “The fact that the accused (Perumal) is a young mother does not take away the seriousness of the matter. She held the deceased while she was strangled.”