Prosecutor Carla Alberts on Wednesday demanded 42 months in prison against three men from Parkstad in the Maastricht District Court. She accused them of depriving a resident of Hoensbroek in Heerlen of his liberty. He was also allegedly severely beaten by a martial artist.
The three suspects - Nillis K. (34), Dave Z. (39) and Christiaan R. (30) - as well as the alleged victim are acquaintances in the criminal milieu.
Theft
The man was allegedly held for hours in a shed on Ganzeweide in late December 2017 as the suspects demanded six thousand euros from him. His assailants blamed him for the theft of three kilograms of batch of amphetamine paste and one hundred hemp plants.
To strengthen their claim, they allegedly mistreated him, threatening to torture him and take him to a basement in Liege. In particular, Nillis K. - "a real martial artist" - is said to have been very aggressive. The alleged victim was eventually able to escape. He initially did not dare, according to the prosecutor, to report the crime out of fear.
Fables
Lawyers Theo Boumans and Sjanneke de Crom dismiss the declarant's story as fables. The prosecution would have no more evidence against their clients than the statement of the 'unreliable and unstable Hoensbroeken man'. He himself has a criminal background and would have been heavily under the influence of coke and alcohol on that particular day. They feel that the judges can come to only one verdict: acquittal.
Drama Academy
R., the only suspect present Wednesday, denied the allegations. "That man should go to drama school, because that's what he's good at. I didn't hit and kick. And about others I keep my mouth shut." R. is currently in a German cell awaiting trial as a member of a major gang of thieves.
Retersbeek
During the court proceedings, it appeared that Nillis K. and Dave Z. did not take the gamble to come to court on Wednesday. They would want to stay out of sight of the judiciary and police because investigative agencies have them in their sights for their involvement in serious crimes. For example, two weeks ago Nillis K. played a role in the quarrel that led to the shooting in the Klimmen hamlet of Retersbeek.
