Werner de Jager was denied bail by the Amanzimtoti Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

The bail application has dragged on for three months since De Jager’s arrest and first court appearance in November 2023.

De Jager is accused of killing his wife, Reverend Liezel, in October 2021, at the Amanzimtoti home they shared with their two young children.

He is facing one charge of premeditated murder and two of fraud relating to his alleged attempts to claim two life policies amounting to R3.29m taken on Liezel’s life.

Magistrate Zama Nyuswa accepted the state’s argument that releasing De Jager on bail would jeopardise the case as he was likely to skip bail or tamper with witnesses. Because he has tried to take his life 12 times before, the court also heard that he would commit suicide if released.

As the case was classified as Schedule 6, it was up to De Jager’s defence to provide extraordinary grounds on why he should be released on bail.

“After careful consideration of all arguments presented before the court, bail is denied,” said Nyuswa.

He will be back in court on March 18.