Man, 24, held for plot to kill wife

Young husband alleged to have paid hit man

A CHATSWORTH man appeared in court this week after he allegedly paid a childhood friend R7 000 to kill his estranged wife.

Brandon Chetty, 24, was in the dock on Tuesday and Wednesday on a charge of conspiracy to commit murder. He has pleaded not guilty.

On Wednesday, after his second appearance in the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court, Chetty was released on R3 000 bail.

His wife, Shanice, 20, said she feared his release might place her in danger.

“I am still terrified. I have no protection whatsoever. I got an interim protection order against him, but that doesn’t give a guarantee,” she said.

The couple have been estranged for more than a year.

They were high school sweethearts, but problems arose after Shanice fell pregnant with their son, she said.

Chetty was arrested last week after the man he allegedly hired got cold feet.

It emerged in court that the alleged hired killer instead went to the home Shanice shares with her mother and brother and informed the latter of the alleged murder plot.

“This guy had all the details about me, my home address, my work address, my photograph, what time I left for work, everything, ” said Shanice.

The alleged hit man — whose name has not been released — has since turned state witness and is in police custody.

Shanice said coming face to face with the man allegedly sent to end her life was shocking.

“I still can’t get over it. When I went to the police station and I saw him, I just burst into tears.”

The court heard that the hired killer, whose statement was read out in court, was to have executed the hit on Shanice on Friday March 14 at the crèche where she works as a child-minder and teacher.

Her attorney, Shireen Soobarathrie, said the alleged hired assassin had been under orders not to hurt the couple’s son.

Soobarathrie said the family were investigating possible motives for the alleged plot.

Chetty’s attorney, Siven Samuel, said Chetty maintained he had been framed by Shanice’s family.

“Our stance is that if someone can ‘accept’ R7 000 to kill someone, they can also accept money to set someone up. The evidence of this so-called deal is highly suspicious.”

Chetty is due to make his next court appearance in April.

In Pietermaritzburg this week, a hired killer was sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in the murder of Dr Bhavish Sewram.

Sewram was gunned down outside his Chota Motala Road practice last year. This week, the High Court in Pietermaritzburg heard that the gunman, Sabelo Dlamini, had killed the father of two for the sum of R12 000.

Dlamini was allegedly hired by Pietermaritzburg businessman Rajive Soni, who was believed to be having an affair with Sewram’s wife.

Soni, who is also on trial for the murder — along with two others, including a former police officer — will return to court in August. They will plead not guilty.