Lawyer Bandidos: ‘Lots of police court cases in one heap’ | Inland

According to the Public Prosecution Service, Bandidos is a criminal organization whose members were guilty of a laundry list of criminal offenses ranging from extortion, assault, theft and drug trafficking to money laundering. The OM also announced the confiscation of more than two million euros in money that the various Bandidos members allegedly earned through illegal activities.

According to lawyer Gitte Stevens, who assists five suspects in the trial, there is no more than a “lot of police court cases that the Public Prosecution Service throws together in order to arrive at a criminal organization, as a prelude to a ban of the motorcycle club.”

The large courtroom in the court in Maastricht had to be half renovated to accommodate all suspects and their lawyers. The entire public gallery has been converted with plexiglass walls into a kind of outdoor model aviary, which can accommodate 25 people corona-proof. On April 21, that gallery will probably be filled with all suspects, when the criminal organization is discussed.

On the first day of trial, there were only five suspects, who had to share one microphone and could not remember much. Suspect John H. (57), for example, sighed when asked about an overheard conversation: “It was seven years ago! I can’t even remember what happened two months ago. ”

The delay in the handling of the case is partly due to the decision of the Public Prosecution Service in 2017 to expand the case from 20 to 25 suspects. One of those suspects is from Colombia, where witnesses had to be heard at the request of lawyer Stevens.

According to the press prosecutor, it was also a time-consuming investigation because it concerns many suspects and many criminal offenses. Subsequently, the corona virus slowed down an energetic course of events.

The most striking fact that the court will discuss in April is the massive brawl between members of Bandidos and the Red Devils on May 7, 2015. That happened in and at café Dug Out in Sittard, home to the Hells Angels. affiliated motorcycle club Red Devils.

During that fight, the operator of the cafe is said to have shot out the window. The shot ended the brawl. The Bandidos took off, leaving three wounded Red Devils behind. Security cameras registered the mat lot. The images came out a year later. The mayor of Sittard closed the pub for three months.

Most of the suspects were in pre-trial detention for several months, but everyone was released at the end of 2015. Bandidos boss Harrie Ramakers did not appear in court on Monday. On April 26, the Public Prosecution Service will come up with the criminal demands.

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