One of the two people accused of the murder of an Icelandic citizen whose body was encased in concrete has admitted guilt in the Johannesburg High Court, Beeld newspaper reported on Saturday.
Desiree Louis Oberholzer (43), of Bryanston, admitted guilt in the murder trial of Gisli Thorkellson on Friday.
Co-accused Wille Theron (29), who according to Oberholzer fired the shot that killed Thorkellson (54), has denied any involvement.
According to Oberholzer, Thorkellson was shot ”behind the ear” in the car in which the two accused had picked him up from Johannesburg International airport, on May 25 last year, on his return from a holiday in the United States, Beeld reported.
Oberholzer was driving, Thorkellson was in the passenger seat and Theron, from Isando in Kempton Park, was sitting in the rear.
”At that stage I didn’t think the shot was fatal because I could still hear him breathing,” Oberholzer reportedly told the court.
At Theron’s request she then took a cable from the glove compartment, which Theron then allegedly used to strangle Thorkellson.
The following day Theron allegedly told her he had encased the body in concrete in a rubbish bin.
Thorkellson was allegedly killed for ”financial gain”.
”Accused number two [Theron] promised me R100 000 from the deceased’s estate, which I would use to visit my children in England,” Beeld quoted Oberholzer as telling the court.
Thorkellson was found encased in concrete with only his feet and part of his legs sticking out in July last year when a Boksburg resident forced open a dustbin left behind by a former lodger, allegedly Theron.
The two accused face charges of murder, theft, fraud and defeating the ends of justice.
Thorkellson, who had been living in South Africa since 1994, was self-employed and single at the time of his death.
His body was repatriated to Iceland, following the release of dental records from the US confirming his identity. — Sapa