Leon Brits: Court told how wife, hitmen plotted murder

The murder trial of suspects accused of killing well-known Pofadder Hotelier, Leon Brits, whose body was found in a swimming pool, will continue in January 2022.

Enrich Williams, 35, and Amatle Bareki, 25, appeared in the Northern Cape High Court to face charges of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and unlawful possession of firearms this week.

They are accused of being the hitmen hired to murder Brits, whose body was found in a swimming pool on one of their properties. The suspects were arrested after a multi-disciplinary investigation by the South African Police Services (SAPS) and a team of detectives led by the late Brigadier Dick De Waal.

The trial which was supposed to start on 15 November was postponed to 22 November after Suretha Brits, the wife of the victim pleaded guilty to murdering her husband. She was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for her role in the murder of her husband. Senior State Advocate, Johannes Cloete, represented the state in the matter.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson, 

Mojalefa Senokoatsane, said the court had so far heard statements and testimonies from various state witnesses called by the state, with the most compelling being those of Jacques Van Vuuren and Suretha Brits. 

“Van Vuuren was tasked by Suretha to find the hitmen to kill her husband. Jacques Van Vuuren who became a key state witness was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with five years suspended for his role in the killing of Leon Brits,” Senokoatsane, said.

“During their testimonies which were held on different days, the two outlined how the murder was planned and executed as well as their roles in the killing of Leon Brits,”  The trial of the two accused is expected to resume on 31 January 2022 in the High Court Upington Circuit in the Northern Cape.