The estranged wife of an oil firm executive from Cremona, who allegedly committed a violent home invasion against his spouse, says she still loves her husband and wants to reunite with him once he gets out of jail and his alcoholism is under control.Candice Kuiper, 32, added she is despaired by police reports of the incident on Sept. 9, which she says painted an inaccurate picture of her having an intimate affair with a male friend, who was found in her bedroom at the time of the alleged break-in by her estranged husband, Terry Kuiper.ìI want to clarify things,î said Candice. ìIt was written as if the other person was my boyfriend. He's not. I love Terry with all my heart.ìI intend to stay his wife. I am proudly Mrs. Kuiper. I am still wearing my wedding rings,î she said, adding she forgives her husband for any alleged wrongdoing on Sept. 9.She added the male found in her bedroom was only a friend she had known for about a year. The estranged wife said the man was helping her on that day through her recovery from a painful surgical procedure.ìI was in excruciating pain,î she said, adding she has been in contact with him only ìonce or twiceî since the incident.ìThere is no intimate relationship.îThe Gazette has not been able to contact the male friend for comment.Didsbury RCMP, meanwhile, said they are standing behind their investigation of the case.ìIt is our job to collect the facts as they are presented to us at the time,î said Didsbury RCMP Cpl. Warren Wright. ìIf witnesses choose to modify their story between the time of the occurrence and their day in court they will have to answer to the court why their story changed.îMeanwhile, Terry Kuiper, a vice-president of a major Western Canadian oil services company, has been incarcerated since being arrested on Sept. 9.The 39-year-old oil company executive appeared in Didsbury provincial court on Sept. 12 facing 12 Criminal Code charges, including break and enter, uttering threats to cause bodily harm, pointing a firearm, careless use of a firearm, assault and assault with a weapon. He was denied bail in provincial court by Judge Eugene Creighton. His decision was appealed to Court of Queen's Bench. That hearing was held last Friday in Calgary. A court decision was adjourned until Monday, Oct. 3. A publication ban was ordered by the courts at all evidence entered at the bail hearings. His trial, meanwhile, is scheduled for Dec. 7 and 8 in Didsbury provincial court.ìI'm hoping to get him out (jail) and get him the help he needs for his alcoholism and move on the right steps to rebuild our lives,î said Candice, adding her estranged husband has never been abusive to her. ìI'm in no danger of Terry whatsoever. He has never ever been abusive. I can not stress enough what a good man he is.îAt the time of Kuiper's arrest on Sept. 9 the accused was vice-president and general manager, Canada, of CanElson Drilling Inc., a position he has held since Feb. 9, 2010.CanElson Drilling Inc. is a Calgary-based leading provider of oilfield services in Western Canada and is also engaged in the manufacture and operation of drilling rigs in Texas, North Dakota and Mexico. CanElson, which has a workforce of up to 400 employees, is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX).Last month a company spokesman said it would not comment on its vice-president's problems with the law. However, the spokesman said Terry was still employed.ìHe still has a job. He is well thought of. He is very smart,î said Candice.Before Kuiper's Sept. 12 provincial court bail hearing, Didsbury RCMP said they received a call at about 1:50 a.m. on Sept. 9 alleging that a Cremona man was committing a home invasion at the rural residence of his estranged wife and her male friend. Entry was made into the house through an unlocked door.Mounties said the man had a loaded 9-mm handgun. When encountering the woman and her male friend in a bedroom, the man made death threats, said RCMP.The assailant then ìpistol-whippedî the woman's male friend, said RCMP. He then punched the woman in the face and shoved her, said police.A struggle ensued between the male and the suspect, resulting in the firearm falling to the floor and the suspect fleeing the scene in a vehicle.RCMP said a struggle ensued between the male and the assailant. The loaded 9-mm handgun fell to the floor. The suspect then fled the scene in a vehicle.Police said two children, aged seven and 12, were asleep in the residence and were unharmed. The victims sustained minor injuries that did not require hospitalization, said RCMP.About five hours later at 7 a.m. the suspect was apprehended without incident at his Cremona residence. RCMP said he voluntarily surrendered to police.RCMP said alcohol was a contributing factor in the incident.Police added there was no prior reported history of abuse between the husband and his estranged wife.RCMP said Chinook Arch Victim Services were called to assist the victims.
