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Court in Amsterdam: Strictly guarded
Photo: Peter Dejong / AP
In the case of the killed Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries, the public prosecutor's office has demanded life imprisonment for the three main suspects. Her guilt in the 2021 murder has been proven beyond a doubt, prosecutors said in court in Amsterdam. The public prosecutor's office demanded prison sentences of three to 21 years for the other six defendants for murder or aiding and abetting the murder of the reporter.
The prosecution had already demanded the maximum penalty in 2022 for the suspected shooter, Delano G., 24, and the driver of the getaway car, Kamil E., 37. The process then had to be repeated for procedural reasons.
“Incredible shock in society”
The third main suspect, Krystian M., 28, is considered a “murder broker.” According to the public prosecutor's office, he organized the crime. Only M. admitted complicity and apologized to the victim's relatives. All other defendants refused to testify. A man had protested his innocence.
With the murder of Peter R. de Vries, the suspects caused great damage and caused an "incredible shock in society," said the public prosecutor in the heavily guarded high-security court in Amsterdam.
The murder is said to be the work of notorious criminal Ridouan Taghi's drug gang. De Vries was a confidant of a key witness who testified in the extensive criminal trial against Taghi and his accomplices. The key witness's brother and defense attorney had previously been murdered. But so far there is no evidence against the Taghi gang for the murder of Peter de Vries.
Deadly attack in summer 2021
The prominent TV reporter was gunned down in Amsterdam in the summer of 2021 at the age of 64. Initially, two main suspects were arrested.
Two men are now also accused of filming the crime and distributing the images on the Internet. According to the prosecution, this was intended to increase the shock in society. The verdict is expected in June.
bbr/dpa