DEN BOSCH - Ali B., the main suspect in the so-called slipper murder of the elderly Arnol Vink from Brunssum, must be tried according to adult criminal law. That is the opinion of the public prosecution. Advocate general K. Wetzels yesterday demanded four years with tbs on appeal before the court of appeal in Den Bosch, while B. can be sentenced to a maximum of two years according to juvenile law.
At the time of the murder, B. was seventeen years old. According to Wetzels, 16- and 17-year-olds can be tried under adult law, depending on "the seriousness of the offense, the circumstances under which the crime was committed and the personality of the suspect." Moreover, Wetzels argued that B., who confessed to stabbing Vink to death, got off with a lower sentence than the adult Mustapha Z. in the Maastricht court's verdict.
B.'s lawyer S. Weening argued for trial under the juvenile justice system. He argued that the four "acted clumsily." Weening: "The murder was not committed with the thought pattern of an adult. Moreover, it is important that B. be treated as soon as possible. This punishment is not good for the child's development. "The other suspects who were minors during the murder were prosecuted according to juvenile law, however. The prosecution demanded against Sufian Z. and Mohammed S one year in prison each. Six years were demanded against Mustapha Z. 23. The foursome's stories did not match. B. claimed that he told the three co-defendants that he wanted to get Vink's ATM card and PIN number, but the others denied that. B. also said that just before the murder, Z. and S. tried to steal a car, to sell or trade it for a scooter. "If that had succeeded, we wouldn't have robbed Vink," he said. The three co-defendants also disputed this story, but their statements ran parallel.
During the hearing, a letter from the Vink family was read out that showed how difficult the grieving process is. "You get hit hard by all the interrogations and questions. You can't process it normally. We miss the contact and visits." Vink's relatives showed compassion for the suspects' families. "We know it's terrible for their parents too. We hope the suspects can be treated."
Arnold Vink was killed with knife wounds last March. The four had targeted Vink's ATM card and code. B. had broken into the man's home five days before the murder and had seen on a bank statement that there was 20,000 euros in his account.
The loot ultimately consisted of eighty euros. The court will rule in two weeks.
