Pretoria - The lies surrounding the killing of Faerie Glen mother Chanelle Henning have now come to an end and the prosecution is set on bringing the “Godfather” – Nico Henning – to book for allegedly ordering the hit on his estranged wife.
This was the argument of Gerrie Nel before the Pretoria High Court on Monday when he called for a 20-year jail sentence each for former Nigerian Olympic athlete, Ambrose Monye and Henning’s best friend André Gouws.
The pair are facing a murder charge following the contract killing of the blonde mother on the morning of November 3, 2011. She was gunned down seconds after she dropped off her young son at a crèche.
Her executioner, Pike Pieterse, and Gerhardus du Plessis, were earlier sentenced to 18 years each, after confessing to the killing. Monye and Gouws were also convicted earlier despite denying knowledge of the murder during their trial.
In an about-turn in December last year, Gouws spilt the beans on Henning, and told the court he called in Monye to help find killers after Henning told him he wanted his wife dead.
Henning was nabbed by the police and his trial was postponed to June 3. He is out on R10 million bail.
Monye on Monday also decided to come clean. He admitted that he obtained the help of Pieterse and Du Plessis as he was offered R50 000 by Gouws, with the promise of more money later.
“I had a change of heart (following his conviction). I realise what I had done was a grave mistake,” he told the court.
Gouws and Monye expressed their willingness to testify against Henning and to work with the police.
Monye said Henning at first wanted drugs planted in Chanelle’s car, but Gouws later told him his friend now wanted her killed.
Henning was never formally introduced to him and today he realises why, Monye said.
“I now see him for what he is. He kept a distance between himself and the killers and he avoided Gouws after the murder,” said Monye.
“André said his friend was stinking rich. The friend was very cross with his wife and said she was costing him too much money and was whoring around.”
Monye said he knew Gouws would come up with the money to pay him, as Gouws knew his reputation. “I would have dealt with André and his stinking rich friend in my own way (if they did not come up with the money).
Monye said he knew Du Plessis and Pieterse would do the “job”, as they were cash-strapped.
“Today, as I look back, I am ashamed of being part of this. I regret it and am sorry.
“In the rough world where I was working, I lost sight of reality,” Monye said.
Nel, in arguing regarding sentence, said the disregard the role players had for human life, was too nauseating to think about.
“She had to die because she had become an inconvenience.”
Nel said Pieterse and Du Plessis played open cards and identified their contractor – Monye.
He took his instructions from Gouws. “Instructions that can only be equated to the cold blooded contractual murder wishes of a so-called Godfather.
“We know Nico Henning was identified as the ‘Godfather’.”
Nel said the facts now uncovered have reinforced the continuing investigation into the case.
“All and sundry involved cannot escape,” he argued.
The question was, Nel said, whether the intention of the two to assist the State in its pursuit against the “Godfather” should warrant a lesser sentence for them.
“Although grim, we have to acknowledge that the accused’s about-turn deserves credit.”
Nel said the will to assist in bringing Henning to justice is a weighty factor (in asking for a sentence lesser than a life sentence).
Chanelle’s parents, Sharon and Ivan Saincic said they would speak to the media on Tuesday after the pair had been sentenced.
Pretoria News