The domestic worker of murdered air hostess Cordelia Prinsloo had for two days repeatedly told the slain woman’s former husband – now accused of the murder – that she was missing, but he did not do anything about it, Prinsloo’s sister has told the Pretoria High Court.
Angie le Roux took the stand on Thursday in the murder trial of her brother-in-law, prominent Pretoria geologist Cobus Prinsloo.
Earlier, he pleaded not guilty to killing his former wife and blamed the gardener, Lucas Moloi.
Moloi pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment.
However, he said Prinsloo had hired him to kill his wife.
Cordelia Prinsloo died in October 2009 while she was watering the garden in her pyjamas.
Moloi hit her twice on the back of the head with a garden spade.
Prinsloo had told him he would dispose of the body, Moloi said.
The body was discovered two days later in a flower bed.
Her head was wrapped in plastic and she was still wearing her pyjamas.
The couple were divorced, but Cordelia Prinsloo still lived in a cottage on the smallholding north of Pretoria while her husband remained in the main house with their two sons.
Le Roux testified that she had gone to the smallholding soon after she heard her sister had died.
The domestic worker had told her what happened on the morning Cordelia had died. She said that when she arrived for work, she had found Moloi in the garden.
Cordelia’s car was in the garage.
The domestic worker said the gardener had acted suspiciously as he followed her all the time, even while she was hanging up the washing. He apparently told her that he was not going to do his normal work that day, as he “had to act as a security guard”.
The domestic worker had later noticed that Cordelia was nowhere to be seen and she phoned Prinsloo.
Le Roux said the domestic worker had told the accused that she was worried about the way Moloi acted and that Cordelia was missing.
The accused had not done anything about this, although the domestic worker, on various occasions throughout the next day, had told him the woman was missing.
The domestic worker told Le Roux that two days later, Prinsloo had come running up to her and told her Cordelia was dead.
Le Roux said it was common knowledge that Cordelia and Prinsloo did not get along.
They had got divorced after 25 years and had an acrimonious relationship, each obtaining family violence interdicts against the other.
Le Roux testified that she had launched her own investigation into the death of her sister, as many things Prinsloo had told her did not add up and she had her own suspicions. She handed the information she had obtained oto the police.
Le Roux said she had battled to get a copy of her sister’s will as it was not in her safe. She had also had a run-in with the executor, who did not want to give her a copy.
It later emerged that Prinsloo’s defence lawyer in his murder trial had been appointed as executor “because of his vast knowledge on estates”.
The accused’s son has meanwhile been appointed executor, assisted by Prinsloo’s lawyer.
Prinsloo’s advocate told the witness that Cordelia had never had a valid will and would be regarded as having died intestate, meaning her sons would inherit everything.
(Proceeding)
Pretoria News