Murder: Mom told a friend

2003-06-10 19:46

Johannesburg - The mother of a Kempton Park man - now on trial for allegedly murdering his wife - told a friend about the killing, the Johannesburg High Court heard on Tuesday.

Elsabe van Zeil testified in court that Mariette Kruger told her in confidence that her son, Colin David Bouwer, killed his wife Ria.

"About three months after Ria's death, Kruger called me at work saying she had something to tell me but it could not be over the phone," she said.

"Later that day at Caesar's Palace casino we were having drinks when Kruger, breaking down and crying, told me Colin accidentally killed his wife."

Bouwer, 25, is accused of strangling his wife Maria Louise at their Kempton Park home on May 7, 1999. Bouwer has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Van Zeil said Kruger told her at the casino the couple were arguing when Ria lashed out at Colin and he grabbed her by the throat.

"I never told a soul about our conversation because Kruger said the killing happened by accident," testified van Zeil, who was visited by police in October in 2001 for a statement.

She told the court she made a statement to her attorney in Pretoria a few days later and did not speak with Kruger again after she was told she was a potential state witness.

Anthony van der Westhuizen, a private investigator who was appointed by Bouwer to probe the death of his wife, said in court on Tuesday Kruger told him on December 7, 2000, she was in Bruma at the time of the murder.

"She (Kruger) said Bouwer called to tell her Ria was dead," Van der Westhuizen said.

"Kruger rushed to Kempton Park to assist with an alibi and where the murder scene was altered to appear as if an intruder had attacked Ria."

Van der Westhuizen told the court he did not tell Bouwer his mother told him he had strangled his wife.

"Kruger's revelation made me uncomfortable."

He also testified that Bouwer told him he would "eliminate" anyone who stood in his way, including Abram "Slang" van Zyl.

Van Zyl is a Pretoria private investigator, who was appointed by Ria's mother to probe circumstances surrounding her daughter's death.

Van der Westhuizen told the court he met Kruger for the second time on January 30, 2001.

"I was very uncomfortable so I taped the conversation without her knowledge," he said.

"I was very afraid at that stage."

Van der Westhuizen testified that they met in the main bedroom of his house where he installed a video camera and two small audio recorders.

He handed the tapes to Van Zyl a few days later.

The trial continues on Wednesday.

- SAPA