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Suspected wife killer, Werner de Jager, has died from an alleged drug overdose while under correctional services supervision in a hospital.

De Jager is alleged to have beaten his pastor wife Liezel to death in October 2021 at their home in Amanzimtoti and then tampered with her body to make it appear as if she was raped.

Lizel De Jager was a popular NG Kerk Suidkus pastor at the time of her murder.

De Jager was recently denied bail by the Amanzimtoti Branch Court and was expected to return to court on 10 May. National Prosecuting Authority was also looking to charge De Jager with two counts of murder after he was allegedly involved in a hit-and-run incident in the Free State in April last year.

“The Department of Correctional Services can confirm the death of detainee Werner de Jager, who was admitted to King Edward Hospital on 5 April 2024 following medical complications.”

“On 15 April 2024, DCS was duly informed that the detainee passed away at hospital.”

According to the State, Liezel and De Jager’s two children were at home when she was killed.

It was alleged the couple’s relationship had deteriorated to the point where they were sleeping in separate bedrooms.

News24 reports that De Jager had insured Liezel for R3.29 million two months before allegedly killing her. After allegedly slitting her throat, he interfered with the crime scene to make it look like Liezel was raped.

“He further staged the scene and tampered with the deceased’s body in a manner so as to suggest [that] his wife was a victim of a sexual assault.

“In so doing, he had the intent to humiliate her post-mortem, degrade her and mislead the investigation,” she added.

De Jager denied the allegations and claimed an unknown intruder had killed Liezel. The state however had ‘overwhelming evidence’ against De Jager, who likely took his own life to avoid spending the remainder of his life in jail.

[source:news24]