Action Society welcomed the murder charge against Werner de Jager, more than two years after the murder of his wife Liezel, but lamented the time it took to get to this point. Werner showed no emotion and no remorse as he appeared in the Amanzimtoti Magistrates Court today. He said that his legal representatives were not present. He will remain in custody until 7 December for the next appearance.
“It took 775 days to see Werner de Jager in handcuffs. We hope that today will be the only delay in the court process and justice will be swift,” said Ian Cameron, Director of Community Safety at Action Society, “It was both a relief and a bitter day.
“Bitter, because this case could have been solved much sooner had the original investigative team attempted to do any police work. Liezel’s parents and her two daughters would have had closure and would have been saved from the further trauma they had to endure caused by unanswered questions, suspicions and worries about Werner’s role in Liezel’s death. Bitter, because had he been arrested, two women who died in a car crash in April this year would still be alive today. Werner allegedly caused the crash and is facing charges of culpable homicide.”
According to Cameron, Werner was a person of interest in Liezel’s murder from the very beginning, but the investigative team in Amanzimtoti failed to follow up on some of the most elementary elements in the case.
“Liezel’s family is relieved that her case is finally moving forward and very thankful for the team from the National Cold Case Investigation Unit, who took over the case,” said Cameron. “They did in two weeks what the previous teams couldn’t in two years. It is wonderful to see that there are still committed and competent officers in SAPS. The process of justice and closure can finally start now,” said Cameron. “Unfortunately and understandably, they are also overcome with grief as they have to relive the tragic events. We ask that the public respect their privacy during this difficult time.
“We expect more details to be exposed in the weeks to come. We will continue to oversee her case. No more delays will be tolerated,” concluded Cameron.
Photo: Carol Albertyn
