WINDHOEK – Dawid de Jay, 63, who committed suicide last week bequeathed a small white cupboard with its contents to his cellmate, Da Costa Duminge Zuzee.
In a letter he wrote to Zuzee before his suicide, he says: “Dear Costa, I don’t want to wake you up, you are sleeping so deep. I had a severe pain in my chest. Maybe it’s the end. I hope you get out of this place very soon – Baruu too – you gays (sic) don’t belong here. My own case ??? You know I haven’t do a thing wrong. I haven’t hurt or murder anybody. I will never do a thing like that. Maybe God reveal the truth one day. I am innocent and you know it. But there is no justice in this country. Thank you for everything you help me with the past five years. God Bless, Your friend, Dawid de Jay.”
He also wrote in Afrikaans “Die wit kassie met inhoud is joune,” meaning, “The small white cupboard with contents is yours.”
Zuzee told New Era the cupboard contained De Jay’s bank cards and a Nampost card amongst other things.
According to the post-mortem report of the forensic medical officer, Dr Mamadi Gotthartine Guriras, De Jay’s death was consistent with a drug overdose and he died on May 16 at approximately 20h50. This now brings to an end the trial in which he was convicted of the murder of his wife, 56-year-old Tina de Jay, just one day before Valentine’s Day in 2009. Judge Alfred Siboleka convicted De Jay mainly on the testimonies of two witnesses.
One of the witnesses testified he saw De Jay making “stabbing movements” while seated in his car with someone on the day of the murder and the second one said he saw De Jay throw away something “shiny.”
De Jay provided various defences on what happened at the picnic spot next to the Fish River. Firstly he claimed his wife was killed by two robbers while he was taking a stroll on a bridge over the river.
He then apparently changed his story to that he and the deceased devised a suicide pact.
Both versions were dismissed by Judge Siboleka who found it was a ploy to put the police on a “ghost hunt”.
De Jay was represented by Boris Isaacks during the trial and Palmer Khumalo prosecuted.
By Roland Routh