State calls for lengthy jail term for Leach

The state has called for convicted murderer Reinhardt Leach to be sentenced to between 22 and 25 years in prison.

Leach, who was convicted on Wednesday of murdering his girlfriend, Vicki Terblanche, in her Mill Park home by drugging her, will be sentenced on Friday.

His former co-accused in the matter, Dylan Cullis, is already serving an 18-year prison term after he pleaded guilty to his role in the murder plot.

Vicki’s estranged husband, businessman Arnold Terblanche, has meanwhile pleaded not guilty to being the mastermind behind the murder and will stand trial later in 2025.

Leach has been in custody since his arrest in October 2021, shortly after Vicki’s body was found in a shallow grave in Greenbushes.

It is the state’s case that Terblanche wanted Vicki dead to save himself millions of rand in their messy divorce battle.

They were also fighting for custody over their minor son.

While Leach first denied having anything to do with Vicki’s murder, he later did an about-turn to plead guilty.

His guilty plea was, however, rejected by the state because his version of events did not quite line up with its case.

On Wednesday, after being convicted of murder, Leach presented the court with a letter in which he apologised to Vicki’s family and his own for the hurt he had caused them.

The defence has submitted that 22 years behind bars would be a suitable sentence.

The Herald