Kerkrade - Kerkrade resident Ron M. (41) has been acquitted of holding a Serbian man hostage. The Maastricht court says it has no hard evidence that he and fellow townsman Danny H. took the man hostage in an attempt to get a ransom from him.

The victim insisted to police that he had traveled from Liege to Danny's residence to buy a kilo and a half of hemp. Once on the scene, he was attacked by Ron and Danny. The Serbian man was tied up with tie wraps and assaulted. The next morning, he managed to escape. At a nearby butcher shop, he asked for help. The police were called and in the evening Ron and Danny were arrested while they were eating in a pizzeria.