Slain musician Taliep Peterson had planned to take his wife, Najwa, on holiday to London and Paris, the Cape High Court heard on Monday.
Najwa is on trial before Judge Siraj Desai, charged with Taliep’s murder.
People crammed into the spacious courtroom to hear Najwa testify in her own defence. Before the hearing resumed, a battery of cameramen flashed away at Najwa seated in the dock with her three co-accused.
She told the court that Taliep had discussed with her plans to take her to London and Paris on the night he had returned from London, where he had staged a production.
She also said she controlled the finances and had a monthly income of R100 000 as a director of the family business in Namibia — Dirk Fruit and Vegetables.
Led by senior counsel Johan Engelbrecht, she said her relationship with Taliep had been good and he was aware of her dreams to visit Paris.
The topics covered during the morning session of Najwa’s testimony included Taliep’s acute security awareness, and loans that she had given to a family friend, Fahiem Hendricks.
It is alleged that Peterson approached Hendricks to find hit men to shoot dead her husband.
Peterson told the court she lent Hendricks two amounts of R20 000, which he repaid, and a third sum of R10 000.
Asked by the judge if she was in a money-lending business, she said she was not, but that she and Taliep often lent money to people they knew and trusted.
The purpose of the R10 000 loan was to help Hendricks buy stock for a cafe he had bought. She said he was often late with his repayments, but she knew that he was struggling financially.
To assist him, she had given him four polished diamonds that she obtained in Namibia and asked him to sell them for her for R250 000. If he was able to do so, he could have a R10 000 cut, which would repay the loan, she told the court.
She added: ”I also had American dollars in the safe at home and I told Hendricks if he could sell the diamonds, I would also give him the dollars to sell.”
Although she trusted Hendricks, Taliep was not very happy about the fact that she had given him the diamonds, because Taliep did not know Hendricks that well.
The hearing continues. — Sapa