Mount Edgecombe businesswoman Nalin Naidu was supposed to have been killed in the pharmacy she ran with her husband, Seelan.
The plan was for the two hired men to the enter the pharmacy in Bellair, walk in and kill her.
Seelan, a former policeman, and alleged mastermind of his wife’s murder, would ensure that all cameras were switched off.
However, Maria Kholikile Sithole, 41, who this week entered into a plea and sentence agreement with the directorate of public prosecutions, said this plan had to change – because it was “doomed to fail”.
Nalin was found murdered in a field in Shongweni on October 29 last year. Her throat had been slit and her face disfigured.
Following her murder, six people were arrested.
Hitmen Zwelakhe Maphumulo, 41, and Gcina Magwaza, 37, were convicted and jailed for 30 years and 22 years respectively this year.
Last week, Sithole received a 10-year suspended sentence for conspiracy to commit murder.
Seelan, fingered as the alleged mastermind, is an awaiting trial prisoner at Westville Prison. He told police at the time that his wife had gone missing from Malvern Shopping Centre, where she had gone to see a Pakistani man regarding the purchase of face creams.
Two other accused – a policeman, Constable Sifiso Nicholas Nkosi, 32, and his fiancée, Phumla Ethel Matseke, 42, who worked as an agent for Seelan – have abandoned their application for bail.
Sithole, in her plea read out by attorney Siboniso Mthembu, expressed remorse.
“I would like to apologise to the family of the deceased for her (Sithole’s) role in the offence,” said Mthembu.
Sithole said that she had become friends with Matseke while working at a store selling bags; Matseke had been working for a doctor.
She said that Matseke later began working for Seelan and she had requested that Sithole assist her in her job.
“The nature of Phumla’s job was to get clients who were contracted to medical aid and submit their documents and information to Seelan.”
Sithole said clients would leave documentation with her and she would hand the files over to Matseke, then both would deliver files to Seelan in his pharmacy in Bellair.
Sithole said that she would wait in the reception area while Matseke would go into Seelan’s office.
As payment, she would allegedly receive medication, groceries and some money.
“On a certain date which the accused cannot recall, while travelling with Phumla from Bellair to Durban, Phumla told the accused that Seelan wanted his wife killed and that he would pay R50 000 for the job to be done,” said Mthembu.
“Phumla suggested to the accused that they must find people who will do the job.”
Sithole said that she had agreed because she needed the money.
She said that her friendship with Matseke and her fiancé, Nkosi, had grown and they would go out on weekends.
“Sifiso suggested that he was going to approach two men named Zwe and Gcina to do the killing.”
Sithole said that she had known the men as she had been introduced to them on a previous outing.
On October 27 last year, Matseke had fetched her from her flat and they all drove to a restaurant to finalise the plan on how Nalin would be killed, Sithole said.
At the meeting it was allegedly resolved that:
- Maphumulo and Mag-waza would execute the job on October 29.
- Matseke and Sithole would go to Seelan’s pharmacy carrying files as usual.
- Once they entered the pharmacy, Maphumulo and Magwaza would walk in and kill Nalin.
- Seelan must ensure that all cameras were switched off.
- Nkosi, Maphumulo and Magwaza would be paid R15 000 each and Matseke and the other accused would share the balance of R5 000.
Sithole said that there was an understanding that Matseke would source more money from Seelan after that.
She told the court that Matseke had telephoned Seelan and he agreed to the plan.
Sithole said that on the morning of October 29, she had received a call from Matseke asking her to meet them at the railway line at Bellair.
With the files, Sithole boarded a taxi to Bellair and joined Matseke, Nkosi, Maphumulo and Magwaza in Nkosi’s car.
The court heard that a second plan was devised, in which Seelan was to take Nalin out and indicate to Matseke when he was driving away with her so that Maphumulo and Magwaza would have a chance to kidnap her.
Matseke allegedly telephoned Seelan informing him of the new plan and there was an exchange of calls between the two.
After a while Phumla advised the accused that Seelan was driving with his wife.
Sithole said that she and Matseke waited behind in a restaurant while the three men drove in the direction suggested by Matseke.
“After about 15 minutes Phumla received a call and Seelan arrived at the restaurant.”
He allegedly told Sithole and Matseke that Nalin had been “taken” and that they should follow him to a safe place.
Seelan allegedly handed them a brown envelope and Matseke and Sithole took a taxi to a restaurant in the Durban CBD.
“Sifiso called and Phumla told him where we were.”
The five then allegedly drove to Gateway mall for food and drinks.
Matseke allegedly gave Maphumulo and Magwaza R15 000 each and then Nkosi took Maphumulo and Magwaza to buy clothing, the statement read.
Sithole said that she and Matseke remained behind and planned to go shopping afterwards.
She said that she was given R1 000 and was promised R1 500 the following day and dropped at The Workshop in Durban.
Sithole said after the incident Matseke and Nkosi had met with Seelan at McDonalds in Gateway mall
She told the court that on May 22 this year, she received a call from Seelan enquiring about Matseke’s whereabouts while arranging her mother’s funeral.
She said she had received a call from Matseke the following day advising her not to return to Durban as police had arrested Maphumulo and Magwaza, and that both she and Nkosi were planning to flee.
Sithole said she returned to Durban and was arrested shortly afterwards.
Prosecutor Nadira Moosa confirmed that Nalin’s family were aware of the plea and sentence agreement.
Magistrate Anand Maharaj accepted the facts presented before the court.
He confirmed that three people had now been convicted and three more were still to stand trial.