Nervous breakdown delays sentencing of German pair

Convicted murderer and fraudster Kristina Adler broke down as sentencing proceedings were about to begin in the Eastern Cape High Court (Gqeberha) last week, bringing the protracted trial to a standstill. This, notes a report in The Herald, prompted state advocate Marius Stander to bring an application to separate the proceedings of Adler and her former common law husband, Jens Leunberg, so that presentencing arguments for Leunberg could continue. Adler and Leunberg were each convicted in March on two counts of fraud, and Leunberg was convicted of murder and Adler of being an accessory to murder after the fact. Adler’s advocate, Elsabet Theron, told the court that when she arrived to consult with her client, Adler had been crying uncontrollably. Theron said she was unable to speak and needed urgent medical attention. Theron said she had then taken Adler to her psychiatrist, whom she had been seeing regularly. The psychiatrist had confirmed Adler was suffering a relapse of a major depressive disorder, heightened anxiety, panic attacks and agoraphobia. A medical certificate to this effect was submitted to the court and was not contested by Stander. Judge Thembekile Malusi accepted the certificate and excused Adler from attending last week's proceedings.

Stander told the court there would be no prejudice against anyone should the trials be separated, notes The Herald reports. However, Advocate Richard Crompton, for Leunberg, said it would be inappropriate to continue without Adler present as they were interlinked by their relationship, their convictions and the trial. He requested a postponement, noting another reason for the application to postpone stemmed from Leunberg wanting to call a forensic psychologist to testify on his behalf about how being held in custody as an awaiting-trial prisoner for nine years and the separation from his children had affected him. Leunberg and Adler were arrested in 2011 and charged with the murder of fellow German citizen Claus Schroeder, who went missing on August 14 2009 after he went to collect payment from Leunberg for the sale of his Owvanuk farm near Thornhill. His body has never been found. The trial was postponed to 20 July after Malusi dismissed the state’s application for a separation of trials.

Full report in The Herald (subscription needed)