WATCH: Liezel de Jager’s husband Werner charged with her murder

The husband of slain KwaZulu-Natal pastor Liezel de Jager has been charged with her October 2021 murder.

45-year-old Werner de Jager appeared briefly in the Amanzimtoti Magistrate’s Court in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday.

As anticipation mounted for Werner’s first appearance, proceedings were delayed for a short while as state prosecutors perused the police docket.

Proceedings

Werner indicated to the magistrate, Zama Nyuswa, that his attorney could not attend the court proceedings on Monday, but would be available for his next appearance, according to EWN.

“Your worship, I have received a message from the advocate that is going to be representing the accused and is going to be available on the next date your worship, and he gave me a date to set for a bail application, ” State prosecutor, Nqobile Mathibela, told the court.

Watch Werner de Jager in court over the death of his wife Liezel

Today we finally saw Werner De Jager in court for the first time as he has been officially charged for the murder of Liezel De Jager. It has been 775 days since her murder. Case has been postponed to the 7th of December where he will likely apply for bail. We will keep fighting… pic.twitter.com/TWN3yE20Wd

— Ian Cameron (@IanCameron23) November 27, 2023

ALSO READ: Man arrested for 2021 murder of KZN pastor Liezel de Jager

The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara told The Citizen Werner was remanded into custody in Westville Prison until his next appearance on 7 December for a formal bail application.

Arrest

Werner was arrested by the South African Police Service (Saps) Cold Case Unit in connection with the murder of the NG Kerk Suidkus cleric, two years after her death

Liezel was murdered at her home in Amanzimtoti in KwaZulu-Natal on 13 October 2021.

Her murder gripped the community for almost two years.

According to an official police report, De Jager was murdered just moments after returning home from a morning jog. All her valuables, including her cellphone, wallet and gate keys, were found next to her body in the yard.

Her husband, Werner, and their two young children were at home at the time of the murder.

The Saps Cold Case Unit is a unit within the detective services under the command of Brigadier Bafana Gininda and is responsible for investigating unresolved cases.

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