Attorney Serge Weening finds it remarkable that the judiciary has announced the identity of Jos Brech (55), suspected of involvement in the death of Nicky Verstappen.
Counsel, who incidentally does not represent the suspect, emphasizes that Brech has not yet been found guilty. "Frequently, suspects come into the picture and then leave the picture as no longer suspects. Innocent people can also become suspects."
No assurance
According to Weening, the fact that Brech's DNA is a hundred percent match with the DNA found on Nicky Verstappen's body does not say that the suspect is also the perpetrator. "A hundred percent match, that's something I regularly come across. Later it turns out that the person is not involved in the crime. This man is held guilty by the outside world, with name and picture. He never gets rid of that."
Social media
The Maastricht lawyer also points out that accusations on social media mostly come from people who have not seen a letter of the dossier. It is already a witch hunt, according to Weening. "If you see what is already passing by in terms of curses on social media, the man should be happy that he was caught by the police."
B. or Brech
According to Weening, the sharing of name and photo has huge implications for Brech. Jos B. will have a life ten years from now; Jos Brech won't. The police could also have reported the suspect missing, argues the counselor "Then maybe all the people would have searched just as hard and he might have been found. Without putting a stamp on it of someone who is also suspected of sex crimes."
