A couple on the verge of divorce' elaborate murder plots to have each other killed, each relying on the woman's drug-addicted boyfriend who eventually allegedly sided with her husband, was laid bare in the 26-page charge sheet, in the Vicki Terblanche murder trial.
Further details of how Arnold Terblanche and Reinhardt Leach - who are both accused of Vicki's murder - hatched their plan in a Sports Bar came to light in the state's summary of substantial facts.
The pair, who are facing ten charges between them, stood side by side in the dock in the Gqeberha High Court on Wednesday morning, each staring in front of them without making eye contact.
The charges against the accused are two counts of conspiracy to commit murder, murder, robbery with aggravated circumstances, two counts of the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, two counts of defeating the course of justice, and two counts of the possession of drugs.
48 Witnesses are lined up to testify on behalf of the state, including Terblanche' ex-girlfriend Krystall, Mario de Ridder Jr who is said to have been present on the night of the murder and Zephton Pretorius-Zweni, who allegedly conspired with Terblanche to bribe a magistrate and have people killed.
A couple at loggerheads
According to the charge sheet, Vicki filed for divorce on 1 December 2020.
The primary claim according to court papers was a decree of divorce, co-guardianship of their son, and R35 000 for rehabilitative maintenance.
Furthermore was a request for a statement setting out the value of Terblanche's estate and payment of the amount entitled to the deceased in terms of Chapter 1 of the Matrimonial Property Act.
Terblanche vacated the couple's marital home six days after Vicki filed for divorce and moved to his holiday house in St. Francis Bay.
At the time of the couple's split, Terblanche had already been involved in an extramarital affair with his now ex-girlfriend, Krystal.
The state says in its charge sheet that Vicki moved out of the home on 1 February the following year, as Terblanche was set to move back home.
Vicki moved into a different unit in the same complex, while Terblanche moved into the couple's home with Krystal.
On March 5 2021 Terblanche filed a counterclaim to be appointed as the primary caregiver of the couple's son and that Vicki must forfeit the benefits out of the accrual system.
By then, Terblanche had alleged that Vicki was an unfit mother due to her drug habits.
On 11 May 2021, the Gqeberha High Court directed the Family Advocates to conduct an inquiry to advise the court regarding custody of Vicki and Terblance's son.
An interim court order issued on 11 May 2021 determined that pending the finalisation of the Family Advocates Vicki and Terblanche would have joint custody.
It also bound Terblanche to the following:
The inquiry by the Family Advocates was postponed to 19 November 2021.
Leach and Vicki's romance
Vicki became romantically involved with Leach during the first week of July 2021.
With reference to Leach, the charge sheet states: "he is a man of straw with no financial means" who moved in with Vicki, whom he saw as a "cash cow" to fund his lifestyle, and his "illicit abalone dealings."
Leach is also described as a "drug addict" in the charge sheet.
During August 2021 Vicki and Leach allegedly conspired with others to have Terblanche killed, as Vicki felt she was at risk of not receiving the money entitled to her in terms of the Matrimonial Property Act.
"The demise of Accused 2 (Terblanche), that was the belief, would result in the deceased (Vicki) inheriting in accordance with the accrual system," the charge sheet says.
Switching sides
Prior to 12 October 2021 Leach learnt that Vicki would no longer benefit from the demise of Terblanche and he changed his allegiance in favour of Terblanche.
Up to this point, there had been "animosity" between Leach and Terblanche, but Leach contacted him on 12 October 2021 armed with the knowledge that Vicki and Terblanche had been embroiled in a custody matter.
It is alleged that the now co-accused met at the Chelsea Sports Bar in Greenbushes, where Leach spilled the beans on how Vicki had planned to have Terblanche killed, her drug use and he labelled her a bad mother.
Leach failed to mention that he too was allegedly a drug user and that he had been part of the plot to murder Terblanche.
The state further alleges that it was during this meeting that Leach and Terblanche agreed that he would assist in ensuring that Vicki continued using drugs for a drug test to turn up positive.
It was believed that a positive drug test would ensure that Terblanche get custody of their son and not Vicki.
The pair allegedly also agreed that Vicki would ultimately have to be killed.
When Terblanche got home, the state alleges that he phoned Vicki and told her that their son had to return home, failing which he would contact the police and inform them of her drug use.
A day after Leach allegedly switched sides, it is understood that Krystal started looking for a place for him to live, as he would no longer be able to live with Vicki.
Terblanche and Leach also discussed using different cell phones whose numbers were not RICA'ed.
Leach' abalone dealings
According to the state, Leach is a "major role-player" in the abalone industry.
"He runs a criminal enterprise in that he manages the abalone drivers, arranges the individuals that keep a lookout whilst the divers farm abalone, and arranges the transport and sale of the abalone."
The charge sheet goes on to allege that Leach is the erstwhile business partner of Mario de Ridder Sr who died in a car accident in June 2021. (Mario de Ridder Jr. is the state's witness who is said to have been present on the night of Vicki's murder).
The original plan
The state alleges that Leach planned to have Vicki shot and that Terblanche paid the money for vehicle hire, in order for Leach to rent a car to fetch firearms in Cape Town.
He rented a BMW.
On the day that Leach allegedly collected the money from Terblanche for the rental (17 October 2021), Terblanche told him that he would require an affidavit confirming Vicki's conduct.
Terblanche allegedly wanted this affidavit to give him the upper hand in the custody battle.
Cullis and De Ridder Jr
Leach allegedly recruited Dylan Cullis and Mario de Ridder jr on 18 October to assist with killing Vicki.
He told them that killing Vicki would assist him financially.
Cullis has already been sentenced to 18 years in prison following a plea deal with the state in March this year.
After the unsuccessful attempts by Cullis and De Ridder to secure a firearm, Leach allegedly obtained one himself.
The day of the murder
Vicki had allegedly been ill so she spent the day in bed. The plan to shoot her had been abandoned.
According to the allegations in the charge sheet, a new plan was hatched between Leach, Cullis, and De Ridder Jr, to give her an overdose of "Perkies" (the street name for an unknown drug).
Once Vicki was killed, they planned on disposing of her body, and staging it so it would seem that she overdosed and disappeared.
It is alleged that Terblanche provided R5 000 in order to buy a large quantity of "Perkies", which was eventually given to Vicki that night, mixed into a glass with a fizzy drink.
At some stage during the evening, Cullis went to the bedroom where Leach and Vicki were sleeping.
He noticed that Vicki started to gag as a result of the overdose. Attempting to save her, he took her to the spare room and placed her on her side of the bed.
Later that night Leach woke up and realised Vicki was not next to him. He found her in the spare room with Cullis.
Leach was allegedly furious and he accused Cullis of foiling the plan to kill her. He then instructed Cullis to kill Vicki, but Cullis could not.
The charge sheet goes on the say that Leach took a pillow and suffocated Vicki in the presence of Cullis. De Ridder also allegedly entered the room as Vicki was being killed.
It is alleged that Cullis and De Ridder changed Vicki's clothing, as she urinated herself while being killed.
Traces of drugs were left in the house and Leach instructed his counterparts to collect Vicki's valuables, which they later sold for cash.
Vicki's clothing was also removed to create the impression that she had left the house.
Her body was initially left in the house.
The plan to dispose of the body
Leach, Cullis, and De Ridder allegedly returned to the house the next day, on 19 October 2021.
They allegedly decided to wrap Vicki's body in the bedding in the spare room.
Her body was loaded in the trunk of the BMW and they drove around looking for a spot to dump her.
According to the charge sheet, various options were explored, from setting her body alight to dumping her at a municipal dump site.
20 October 2021
During this time, Vicki's body had still not been disposed of.
It is alleged that Cullis and De Ridder discussed dumping her body in the sea or burying her in a shallow grave.
"Various attempts were made to secure the use of a rubber duck boat to dump the body," as stated in the charge sheet.
Eventually, "Rupert Eldridge" was paid to dig Vicki's shallow grave in Greenbushes, under the guise that the grave was dug to bury an animal.
Reported Missing
Leach reported Vicki missing at the Mount Road police station and spun an elaborate story, creating the impression that she was a drug addict who disappeared.
Police went to Vicki's house on 20 October 2021, following a complaint of possible trespassing.
They were greeted with the door standing open and a foul smell emanating from the house.
When police noticed Vicki's photo inside the house, they realised she was the one who was reported missing.
During questioning, Leach kept mum, but Cullis confessed and led police to Vicki's body.
They were both arrested on 23 October 2021.
The Relationship between Terblanche and Zephton Pretorius-Zweni
Terblanche and Pretorius-Zweni is said to have met each other in prison and became good friends.
The latter is the Chairperson and Founder of the South African Sentence and Awaiting Trial Prisoners Organisation.
Between March/April 2022, Zweni was part of an operation regarding extortion syndicates that operated from within the St. Albans Correctional Centre.
Terblanche is said to have approached Zweni to assist in his release on bail and to investigate what he called his false implication in the murder.
Zweni was compensated for his services.
The state alleges that Terblanche at some point requested Pretorius-Zweni to to use illegal strategies to secure his release on bail and that the pair colluded to kill Cullis and De Ridder.
The illegal plan for Terblanche to be released on bail allegedly also included bribing the Magistrate who dealt with the bail application, obtaining affidavits in the police docket, influencing the appointment of judges, bribing judges, and persuading Cullis to retract his original statements.
The charge sheet goes on to state how Terblanche allegedly gifted Pretorius-Zweni with an Huyandi i10 vehicle.
He also allegedly received an amount of R230 000 for the purchase of a Volkswagen Cabriolet and a further eight payments totalling R270 000.
The most recent court proceedings
Terblanche and Leach made their debut in the Gqeberha High Court on Wednesday.
The case was postponed to 27 October to give the state a chance to provide the defence with copies of the case docket.
Leach is in custody, while Terblanche is out on bail.
To catch up on this case listen to the first season of the Algoa FM News Exclusive Podcast, Journey to Justice.
