Bouwer to change plea?

2003-06-17 17:26

Johannesburg - Developments are expected when the Colin Bouwer murder trial resumes in the Johannesburg High Court on Wednesday after Jan Moller, defending, asked for the case to be stood down for the whole of Tuesday.

The accused is believed to be reconsidering his position in the light of evidence on Friday from a cellphone frequency range expert called in to testify by prosecuting advocate Riaan Kock.

Colin Bouwer's wife, Ria, was strangled at their Kempton Park home on May 7, 1999. They had been married for six months.

When the trial started at the beginning of June Bouwer pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.

Evidence so far during the trial has revealed that Bouwer suspected the deceased of being involved in a relationship with someone else and that she was considering leaving Bouwer on the very afternoon she was murdered.

Two previous state witnesses last week testified that Mariëtte Kruger, Colin Bouwer's mother, confided that her son had told her he had "accidentally" killed his wife.

Bouwer is on bail of R30 000.

- SAPA