German murder accused Jens Leunberg was warned against self-incrimination as he told the Port Elizabeth High Court yesterday how he had made millions through a pyramid scheme back home.
Sporting a different look with his signature plaited beard shaved off, Leunberg, 41, took the stand for the first time after eight years in custody.
He is accused alongside his former common law wife, Kristina Adler, of defrauding a Jeffreys Bay businessman, before killing him in August 2009 and then disposing of his body.
While the state alleges that Leunberg, of Leipzig in Germany, never had the money to buy Claus Schroeder’s Thornhill farm, he set out yesterday to convince the judge that he had in fact been a man of material means.
But while Adler had detailed during her testimony how her former partner had funded their lavish lifestyle from the proceeds of his successful construction company, a confident Leunberg claimed that he had, in fact, pocketed millions through the pyramid scheme.
Led by defence attorney Danie Gouws, Leunberg said in about 1997, his mother had introduced him to Titan Business Chamber, a pyramid-style selling scheme which involved no product.
Leunberg said he did not like the way new members were encouraged to take loans from the bank to afford the exorbitant joining fee, and that was when he set up his own scheme.
“I can’t tell you how much money I made. I never deposited the money into the bank. I made the money tax-free,” he said.Leunberg said had he deposited the money, he would have experienced problems with the revenue services.
State advocate Marius Stander had interjected to ask the court to warn Leunberg against self-incrimination.
Judge Thembekile Malusi explained that Leunberg was not obliged to answer any incriminating questions and that the evidence could be used against him in a German court.
While Leunberg remained adamant that his way of making money was perfectly legal in East Germany at the time, according to online reports, Titan was in July 1996 found illegal by a German court of appeal.
According to a report published by the Independent, members of Titan included celebrities.
Leunberg said with the money he made, he was able to renovate and furnish his mother’s three-storey home.
The property was accordingly done up with a stone walkway, central heating and an antique oven on each floor.
The bathrooms were fitted with saunas.
The furniture – all antique – was handpicked from across the country, and then refurbished.
Appearing confident and smiling at times, Leunberg said he had been in a car accident during his youth and as a result suffered from short-term memory loss.
Adler had also testified to having problems remembering important details due to stress.
Testimony continues today.