MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2021 - 14:00
Suspect denies involvement in crime reporter's murder; Court refuses to release him
One of two men suspected in the murder of Peter R. de Vries extensively testified in court on Monday, emphatically stating that he knew nothing about the murder plot. According to Kamil E., he only had to drive someone he did not know from Rotterdam to Amsterdam and back, but he was not aware of the reason for that trip. E. is suspected of driving the getaway car.
The 35-year-old man from Poland is also suspected of conducting preliminary surveillance more than a week before the crime reporter was shot in Amsterdam on July 6. He denies that. According to E., he was home on that day. His lawyer asked the court to release E. from pre-trial detention.
The court rejected that request later on Monday afternoon, and ordered him to remain in custody. The court said it still sees sufficient reason to keep E. In detention at least until the next hearing on December 6.
The suspected shooter, Delano G. from Rotterdam, declined to say anything on Monday. He also invoked his right to remain silent in the past, including during police interrogations. His lawyer did not ask the court to suspend his pre-trial detention.
The police arrested G. and E. shortly after De Vries was gunned down. The two were arrested on the A4 highway, near the Leidschendam exit. E. said that he had no idea why they were arrested. When he was taken into custody, he told the police that the car did not belong to him, the prosecutor said on Monday. Weapons were found in the vehicle. E. said he did not know about them.
The motive for De Vries's murder is not yet known. The authorities consider that it had to do with the crime reporter's role in the extensive Marengo assassinations trial, with main suspect Ridouan Taghi. De Vries acted as advisor and confidant to Nabil B., the key witness in that trial.
Since it was announced in early 2018 that B. had turned witness, his innocent brother Reduan and his lawyer Derk Wiersum were murdered.
