90-year-old Jan van B. denies that he stabbed his wife to death: “I didn’t touch her”

The very old Jan van B. (90) walked into court this morning with his walker. “I’m a little deaf,” the man told members of the press. Today was the first day of hearing in the criminal trial against Van B., who is suspected of stabbing his wife to death. He then allegedly set fire to their home on Van Speijkstraat in West.

“It’s not going so well: I don’t eat anymore and I don’t sleep anymore,” Van B. replied to a question from the judge about how he is doing. He has been held in a special department of the prison in Vught since his arrest in January. The man was wearing a hearing aid this morning and seemed quite confused.

Jehova witness

Van B. is suspected of stabbing his wife to death at the beginning of this year, after which he is said to have set a fire in their home on Van Speijkstraat. “That is not true, I did not touch my wife, she killed herself. She had a knife in her hands and shouted ‘Oh Jehovah, help me, help me’. After that I heard nothing more,” said the suspect.

Dementia

After the public prosecutor said that the man is also accused of setting the house on fire, Van B. responded that he is not guilty of that either. “I had to look for my shoes with a match, a fire. That’s what happened.”

In connection with the investigation, a psychiatrist and psychologist have already visited the man in Vught. He is being examined because of suspected dementia. The substantive hearing of the case will probably take place in the first week of September, with a second so-called pro-forma scheduled for June 27.

By that time the man had turned 91, which is why he asked if this trial could not end: “Can it not be that I am acquitted? Because I can never keep this up. I have it on my heart, on my my lungs, my eyes, my ears, my legs. I lose weight every day, because what I eat is all foreign and I can’t stand it. I only eat bread maybe only 78 kilos.”

The children of the 90-year-old have stated through Victim Support that they do not want to be part of the procedure at this time.