Wife-murder accused Rob Packham set to testify as state closes its case in his defence

Rob Packham, who is accused of murdering his wife, has almost three weeks to prepare  his testimony after the high court in Cape Town postponed his trial.

The state closed its case on Monday and on Tuesday Packham's counsel, Craig Webster, called warrant officer Steven Young, of Diep River police station, to bolster his case. But the examination did not yield any dramatic evidence.

Webster asked Young if he had commissioned a statement deposed by one of the state witnesses, Keanan Thomas, on February 23 2018.

Thomas made a statement to the police a day after the charred remains of Packham's wife Gill were recovered from her burning car near Diep River railway station.

Thomas said he had seen a light-skinned man leaving the scene in a white SUV, and later  pointed out Packham from a collage of photos during a police identity parade.

Young said his colleague had taken the statement but he had "commissioned it". He said Thomas was satisfied with the statement before signing it.

Webster said the second witness he had intended to call was overseas and asked for the trial to be postponed to April 15, after the high court recess.  He said he did not want Packham's testimony to be interrupted.

The 57-year-old businessman allegedly killed Gill, put her body in the boot of her car and set it alight at Diep River railway station in February 2018.

The high court revoked his bail in December after witnesses complained that he had contacted them.