THE missing wife of civil servant Clive Holgate began acting strangely days before she vanished, leaving behind hundreds of thousands of dollars hidden in her bedroom, the District Court was told.
Pauline Holgate's husband, who is accused of maintaining a standard of living beyond his official salary, claims he took some of the extra money from his missing wife's handbag.
The 53-year-old government building surveyor has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Holgate's wife disappeared in January 1992.
The couple's domestic helper, Juanita Llemos, told the court her last days with Mrs Holgate were spent fielding a barrage of phone calls from unknown men.
She said Holgate's wife loved gambling and sometimes stayed out all night while her husband was at home asleep.