Weeks after her husband’s murder, a Chatsworth woman used the pay-out from his insurance policy to pay the hitman, her lover told the Durban High Court on Monday.
Wendel Leo Brock, 37, pleaded guilty to killing Bradley Singh, 38, and was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment on Tuesday.
In his plea, Brock said that Singh’s wife, Loretta Ramrathan, 30, had paid R20 000 from her dead husband’s R100 000 insurance pay-out to the hitman.
Singh was stabbed to death on November 21, 2022, on a pathway on 27th Avenue, in Umhlatuzana, while on his way to work. Ramrathan, who was in an extra-marital affair with Brock since July 2022, was also charged with Singh’s murder. She pleaded guilty in September last year and was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment.
Brock’s co-accused, Jason Mtshali, pleaded not guilty and his trial is continuing.
In his plea, Brock said he met Ramrathan in June 2022, while he was handing out food hampers at a mosque in Kharwastan.
“On a number of occasions, I noticed a demure, young female waiting in the line to receive the food hampers. She always stood with her head bowed down and appeared withdrawn and distracted.
“Ramrathan related to me that her husband abused her physically, emotionally and economically. As a result, she depended on the neighbours for food and other items. She always cried and was depressed.”
Brock said their relationship evolved from a friendship to a love relationship.
He said at the beginning of November 2022, he did not get to see Ramrathan for one full week.
“I could not even reach her on the telephone. Finally, she used her neighbour’s phone to call me and said that her husband had assaulted her upon hearing that she wanted to end the relationship, and he took her phone away.
“He threatened to kill her if she left him. She was terrified. She requested that I do something to assist as she was scared. The predicament of not being able to see her weighed heavily on me and more so because I genuinely cared for her wellbeing.”
Brock testified that the same evening, while in conversation with Mtshali and his girlfriend, he told them that he was in love with Ramrathan but could not be with her because of her husband.
“Mtshali commented very calmly and casually that he could ‘put him away’ – meaning that he could kill her husband for R20 000 and that she and I could live together in peace. I thought he was joking and did not take it seriously.
“A couple of days later, Mtshali and I chatted again and Ramrathan’s predicament resurfaced. He informed me that he would kill the deceased and that no one would find out. He wanted R20 000. I just ignored his words.”
He said Ramrathan became enthusiastic about Mtshali’s proposal to kill Singh.
“The next day, in jest, I related Mtshali’s proposition to Ramrathan. She cried and told me that that was the only way to save her so that we could be together forever.
“I then asked how we would pay Mtshali. She said that her husband had a R100 000 funeral policy and that could be used,” Brock said in his plea.
He said he then went to Mtshali and informed him that Ramrathan wanted her husband killed.
“To make a good plan, Ramrathan provided us with information relating to the deceased’s movement, including the time he left home, the route he took and pictures of him, so we could easily identify him. At that juncture, the four of us (Mtshali, his girlfriend, Ramrathan, and I) were actively involved in plotting the murder of the deceased.
“The night before the murder, I grappled with my conscience regarding the wrongfulness of the crime and my undying love for Ramrathan. I then called Mtshali and informed him that we should not proceed with our plan. He responded that it was all planned and that I must not worry, he was going to kill him and no one would find out. I then just relented and agreed to continue as agreed,” Brock’s plea read.
He said they proceeded up the pathway wherethey came across the deceased and they accosted him.
“Mtshali confirmed his name and then stabbed him repeatedly and also stabbed me by mistake as I was right next to the deceased at the time.”
He said a week after the murder, Mtshali wanted to be paid.
“Ramrathan had yet to receive any proceeds from the policy and to pacify him I gave him Ramrathan’s television. Some time later, he sought payment again and we had still not received any funds. I gave him a second television that belonged to my wife. Finally, when the funds were paid out, the sum of R20 000 was duly paid to him,” the plea read.