The Public Prosecution Department must open the grave of a woman known as ‘the Wittenberg widow’ – murdered in 1999 – to see if the murder weapon had been placed under the headstone, a court in The Hague ruled today.

The case has been brought by Ernst Louwes, her former financial advisor, who was found guilty of her murder and is currently serving a 12-year jail sentence. Louwes has always maintained his innocence – despite compelling blood evidence – and is being backed in his campaign by opinion pollster, Maurice de Hond.
Louwes claims the real murderer may have put the knife used to kill the widow inside the grave. Metal detectors have indicated there could well be something in the grave and eyewitnesses have reported seeing someone place a small bag there.