Terblanche ‘tried to cut ties with co-accused’

After his estranged wife was killed, murder-accused Arnold Terblanche broke ties with his alleged accomplices.

This was among the points raised by state advocate Marius Stander as he continued his argument at Terblanche’s bail application based on new facts in the Gqeberha magistrate’s court on Tuesday.

Stander said the late Vicki Terblanche’s boyfriend, Reinhardt Leach, allegedly gave Terblanche detailed information about her drug use and promiscuity, which Terblanche would supply to the family advocate.

However, Terblanche said after Leach requested the use of a rubber duck he no longer wanted anything to do with him.

Stander said it illustrated that after Vicki “disappeared”, Terblanche no longer needed his trump card in the bitter divorce proceedings and battle for full custody of their minor child.

He said Whatsapp messages between Terblanche and Leach on October 20 2021 showed the relationship had changed.

“Leach was no longer needed, the context had changed.”

Vicki was reported missing to police by Leach the next day and he allegedly staged it to appear that she had left her Mill Park home without a trace.

Her body was found in a shallow grave on a plot in Greenbushes two days later.

The site was pointed out by Leach and Terblanche’s co-accused, Dylan Cullis, who has since entered a plea bargain with the state. The three face charges of conspiracy to commit murder, murder and defeating the ends of justice.

A fourth person linked to the murder, Mario de Ridder Jnr, who turned state witness allegedly identified all the role players in Vicki’s murder plot.

Stander said another state witness, Christiaan Meyer, had sworn in an affidavit that it was Vicki who first plotted to have Terblanche murdered, but then Terblanche and Leach killed her instead.

Meyer said on the morning of October 20, Leach, Cullis and De Ridder showed up at his home and asked for assistance in dumping Vicki’s body.

During the discussions, Meyer said, Leach admitted to killing Vicki by accident, and wanted to know what the best way was to dispose of a body — at sea or to bury it.

It was around this time that Leach asked Terblanche about the rubber duck.

Terblanche has made a host of allegations against the state and the investigation into Vicki’s death, including that the state withheld information that could work in his favour.

Terblanche was charged with further counts of conspiracy after a small victory in court when two judges found he had grounds to apply for bail based on new facts.