Ridouan T. announced on Monday that he had “nothing to report as yet” when it comes to the suspicions against his person. It is the first time that the alleged top criminal has been present in court to attend the Marengo trial, which started substantively on Monday.
The 43-year-old T. is sitting in court next to his lawyer Inez Weski and now has a short shaved head, in contrast to the photos that have been distributed of him showing him with curls.
T. is suspected of leading a criminal organization that has carried out at least six liquidations, attempted liquidations and prepared murders. A total of seventeen suspects will be on trial from Monday onwards.
Only Saïd R. is not present, he is still in Colombia after his arrest awaiting his extradition. NU.nl previously reported that its lawyers have recently filed the defense, and R. is still without counsel.
Suspect repeats that he has an alibi for murder day
A second main suspect who would also have had a managerial position, Mao R., said he would not say anything in response to the charges. His brother Mario R. is also silent.
Mohamed R., Saïd’s brother, was more elaborate in his response. He calls the facts that this trial is about “horrible”: “I have nothing to do with it.” Mohamed R. reiterated that he has an alibi for the day Ranko Scekic was murdered, showing that the crown witness, Nabil B., is a liar.
Mohamed R. admits to providing information about Khalid HH was the target of a liquidation in January 2017, but Hakim Changachi was mistakenly murdered. Mohamed R. also says that he did not know that it was intended that H. would be murdered, but would only “be hit”.
The other suspects in the Marengo trial deny their involvement in T.’s criminal organization and their role in the suspicions.
The process is surrounded by many security measures. A team leader of the Special Support Team (BOT) said in conversation with NU.nl that it is the largest security operation ever involving a process.
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