Murdered mom: cops closing in on mastermind behind the hit

POLICE are closing in on the man behind the brazen assassination of Chanelle Henning.

In a dramatic week in which six suspects were arrested and appeared in court, police are building a case against the person who ordered her murder.

Henning, 26, was gunned down by two men on a motorbike shortly after dropping off her four-year-old son at his creche in Faerie Glen, in eastern Pretoria, almost two weeks ago. The blonde teaching assistant was embroiled in a bitter divorce and custody battle with her child's father, Nico Henning, 45.

Those arrested - ranging from a drug-addicted policeman and a Nigerian security company boss to Henning's estranged husband's best friend - are still in custody.

Nico Henning, in his first and only interview since the murder, told the Sunday Times he had "continually assisted the police". "I am worried about my safety and my child's," he said.

He spoke before his friend, former policeman Andre Gouws, appeared in court as an accomplice to the murder.

However, details about his past have also caught the attention of the team of investigators from both the police and the Hawks.

The Sunday Times has established that:

• Nico Henning's first marriage also ended acrimoniously;
•  His first wife's family have given police a statement on the unhappy and short-lived marriage;
• Gouws attended Nico's and Chanelle's lavish wedding in 2006, although the bride intensely disliked him; and
• Nico posted guards outside his house in Pecanwood Estate in Hartbeespoort, Gauteng, this week.

He was a prosecutor and defence lawyer before building his business empire. He is also a pilot and owns two small aircraft .

His father, Dr Almero Henning, was beaten to death with a hammer on his farm in the Eastern Cape in 1994.

Nico was a prosecutor in Bell-ville, Cape Town, at the time and made a public plea for the death penalty to be reinstated.

He was quoted in Die Burger newspaper, saying: "I blame the government for the chaos in this country, and judges' hands are tied because they can't hand down the death penalty."

He said he wanted to leave the country because "a person's life is worthless".

On Thursday, Nico said he was cooperating with the police investigation and would continue to do so. He said: "It's a very difficult time for me."

The family of his first wife said Nico approached them last year to get a character statement to help in his custody battle. But they refused.

Police are now confident their main suspect will be behind bars soon, with an official close to the case saying they were "tightening the screws" and building a "watertight" case. "We are 101% certain we have our man. His arrest is imminent."

So far police have arrested:

• Suspended police constable and drug addict Gerhardus "Doepie" du Plessis, who is believed to have been the gunman;
• Former Nigerian Olympic athlete and suspected druglord Ambrose Monye, who police believe organised the hit;
• Nico's friend, Gouws, who is understood to have been the "middle man" between the mastermind and Monye;
• Deon Schoeman, 20, who is alleged to have stolen the firearm and is the only suspect out on R1 000 bail;
• Preshan Singh, 24, who allegedly acquired the gun from Schoeman; and
• Willem Pieterse, who is believed to have driven the getaway bike.

The accused are charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder and a range of other crimes. They will again appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.

A former colleague of Du Plessis said the disgraced cop was "not a bad guy until he got hooked on drugs".

Henning's parents, Ivan and Sharon Saincic, said they were disappointed that a judge on Thursday again placed their grandson with foster parents.

The boy had been in the custody of his father, and the Saincics had visitation rights. They will now have to undergo assessments to see if they are fit and able custodians of the boy.

Still reeling, Ivan revealed how Nico swept their daughter off her feet and asked him for her hand in marriage.

He said: "He took us to The Palace [at Sun City] and asked for her hand. He promised to treat her like a queen."