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Ternat / Ghent –
Els Clottemans (36) is not released. The woman convicted of the parachute murder on her love rival filed a request to be released from prison during the day earlier this month. But the Ghent sentencing court thinks that is still too early.
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Clottemans was sentenced to thirty years in prison for the murder of her girlfriend and love rival Els Van Doren in 2006. She allegedly sabotaged the woman’s parachute, causing Van Doren to crash in Opglabbeek in Limburg. Clottemans herself has always denied that she cut the cords. There was little hard evidence against the woman from Ternat, but many clues.
The entire case of the Limburg court revolved around a triangular relationship between Els ‘Babs’ Clottemans, her friend Els Van Doren and their joint Dutch lover Marcel. The three were members of the same parachute club, where they spent their weekends. On November 10, 2006, the two women knocked on the door of the Dutchman. Van Doren would spend the night with Marcel, Clottemans had to sleep on a mat in the living room.
After an eventful trial that lasted almost a month, the assize jury ruled in 2010 that there was no doubt about her guilt: Clottemans committed the murder of Van Doren out of jealousy.
–Photo: ROB TV
Attend training
Because Clottemans has now served one third of her sentence, she is eligible for parole. On 6 October, Clottemans’ lawyer asked the Ghent criminal enforcement court to grant her client ‘limited detention’. In addition, Clottemans would be allowed to leave Ghent prison during the day. She also submitted such an application in 2019. According to her lawyer, she wanted to follow a VDAB training. In the evening she would have to return to prison to spend the night there.
Els Van Doren’s widower and children have always opposed a release. “After all these years, the relatives still do not know whether they confess the murder or not,” said their lawyer Jef Vermassen in 2019. The family was therefore present at the hearing in the Ghent prison earlier this month.
But Clottemans’ attitude has not changed after all those years in prison: she still denies that she has anything to do with Van Doren’s death.
Too early
The Ghent sentencing court decided on Monday morning that it is too early for Clottemans to enjoy the daily freedom. The reason for this is unknown. But in order to qualify, a prisoner is usually expected to have some understanding of guilt. Although that is not necessary. Brussels resident Leopold Storme, for example, was released in 2017, although he continued to deny that he killed his parents and his sister in the Marollic murder.
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