Pretoria - One of two men accused of plotting the murder of Chanelle Henning was roasted over apparent inconsistencies in his testimony in the High Court in Pretoria on Wednesday.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel told Andre Gouws that he had given at least four different reasons why he took pictures of streets around Henning's house and workplace days before her murder.
“They are all true,” Gouws said.
Nel maintained Gouws gave different versions of events to explain the evidence before him.
Gouws responded: “I didn't change anything.”
Henning, 26, died in a drive-by shooting in Faerie Glen on November 8, 2011, shortly after dropping off her child at a creche.
Gouws and his co-accused, former Nigerian Olympic athlete Ambrose Monye, have pleaded not guilty to five charges relating to an alleged conspiracy to murder Henning.
The State alleges that Monye and Gouws conspired with former policeman Gerhardus “Doepie” du Plessis and Willem “Pike” Pieterse (alias Tattoo).
Du Plessis and Pieterse are serving 18-year prison terms after confessing to their roles in the murder.
In his testimony, Gouws admitted Henning's estranged husband Nico Henning asked him to do surveillance on her. The couple were going through a divorce and fighting over custody of their child. Gouws testified he was asked to observe Henning to see if she used drugs.
On Wednesday, Nel showed photographs to the court which were retrieved from Gouws' cellphone. The pictures were taken on November 1, 2011.
Initially Gouws said he could not remember why he took the pictures. He then said he took the pictures to remember the route Henning took from her house to the creche and then to work.
Gouws said he took the photos so he could make a file to be used during Henning's divorce.
He then said he took them because: “That would be very important things to give to anyone who could do work that I cannot do”.
Gouws maintained all these versions were true.
“I hear your answer. I don't accept it. I am not going to argue with you,” Nel told him.
Gouws earlier testified he approached Monye to find someone to observe Henning, and he came back to him on this matter on November 2, 2011 Ä a month or two after the request.
Nel put to him that cellphone records and closed-circuit television images showed he was watching Henning between October 25 and November 1.
Thus it was a great coincidence for Monye to contact him about Henning the very next day.
“It is sir, “ Gouws said.
Nel told him: “Because it's not true.”
“It is true,” Gouws replied.
Nel questioned Gouws's version of what happened on November 2, 2011. Gouws testified that Monye phoned him and said they should meet at a garage, but gave no reason for the meeting.
When Gouws arrived on his motorcycle Monye simply told him: “Go and show them”.
He said he then drove off, followed by two other men on a motorbike - Pieterse and Du Plessis - and showed them where Henning worked and where the creche was.
He said nothing else was discussed and he did not formally meet the men.
Nel queried this, asking whether he assumed Monye was talking about Henning considering the time that had gone by since his request.
“Yes,” Gouws said.
“That is not probable,” Nel told him.
The matter was postponed to Thursday morning. - Sapa