Windhoek — The matter in which a retired teacher is accused of murdering his wife three years ago in Keetmanshoop, will proceed in the High Court from August 12 to 16 and then resume during September 2-13, 2013.

The accused, David de Jay (61) has denied ever confessing to the murder.

Judge Alfred Siboleka reserved his judgement on whether or not the confession letter by De Jay could be used as evidence in the postponed trial.

De Jay has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and defeating or obstructing the course of justice, or attempting to do so.

De Jay is accused of murdering his wife, Tina de Jay (56), who worked as an insurance agent, near Seeheim, southwest of Keetmanshoop on February 13, 2009. She was stabbed at least six times with a knife.

De Jay claims unknown people caused the death of his wife during a robbery. The defence objected to the alleged confession and the letter written by De Jay being accepted as evidence in the trial. The defence claims that De Jay only wrote the letter under coercive circumstances involving assaults and threats by police officers.

De Jay wrote the letter five days after his arrest, and confessed before a magistrate in Keetmanshoop on March 11, 2009, it is alleged.

Deputy Police Commissioner Sydney Philander testified that De Jay came to see him, after making a request to that effect and asked Philander for a pen and a paper to write a letter. Philander was a regional crime coordinator in the Karas Region at the time.

He said the accused said he wanted to make a confession in front of a magistrate. The accused was then ordered to fill in a form, informing him about his legal rights.