Mom covered up for killer son
2003-06-02 21:30
Pretoria - She helped her son change the murder scene and provided him with a false alibi.
This was the admission of guilt Mariette Kruger, 53, made before the Johannesburg High Court on Monday.
Her son, Collin David Bouwer, 28, is standing trial for the murder of his wife, Maria Louise (Ria) Bouwer.
Kruger, who is charged with being an accessory to murder, admitted in court that she helped her son change the scene of the crimer to make it look as if an unknown person attacked, raped and murdered her daughter-in-law.
The sensational court case against mother and son even made headlines overseas.
Kruger's former husband and Bouwer's father, Dr Collin Bouwer, 54, is currently serving a jail term in New Zealand for the murder of his second wife, Annette Bouwer, 47. The court found that he had poisoned her over a long period of time.
Kruger told the court that she helped her son despite the fact that she knew he had murdered Ria and that she could be punished for her actions.
The court cases of Kruger and Bouwer were separated on Monday. Bouwer's case was postponed to Tuesday, while Kruger was found guilty as charged. Sentencing in Kruger's case will be handed down on Wednesday.
Bouwer is suspected of strangling his wife and then phoning his mother to tell her about the murder.