NOS news•today, 1:06 p.m
The man arrested in the Belgian cold case surrounding Annie de Poortere will not be charged with murder because the case has come to an end. The Belgian Public Prosecution Service announced this. The body of a woman from Flanders, who went missing in 1994, was found in April find by chance in a garden near her parents’ house in Sint-Martens-Latem.
After the discovery, her husband Hans D. was arrested. The 78-year-old then admitted that he buried her, but said he did not kill her. According to him, he came home from a football game to find that she had killed herself.
The Public Prosecution Service does not believe this story and it is certain that D. killed his ex-wife. The Public Prosecution Service notes that it may not have been premeditated killing and therefore not murder.
D. was the last person to see the woman alive. He told a television program in 1999 that he had gone shopping and gone to a football game on the day his wife left. When he got home, his wife was gone, he said. According to him, she left because he wanted her to be admitted to a psychiatric clinic because it seemed that the woman had an alcohol problem.
Feeling
D. was supposed to appear in court last week, but that did not happen. It now appears that this did not happen because the crime was outlawed ten years ago, so he cannot be charged with murder. The final decision not to prosecute him is still to be made by the Ghent council chamber.
The judges want to prosecute the 78-year-old for lying. The husband announced that his wife was “absent”, allowing him to divorce her and arrange the inheritance. As it seems now that he was buried in the garden, he made a false statement.
He could get five to ten years in prison for that crime. On December 6, the justice department will decide whether to prosecute him for this.
2024-11-18 12:06:00
#case #death #Annie #Poortere #ended #suspect #prosecuted
What impact do you think the lack of clear motive has on public perception of the Annie de Poortere case?
1. What are your initial thoughts on the outcome of the Annie de Poortere cold case investigation?
2. Can you explain how the case unfolded and the key events leading up to the suspect’s arrest?
3. What evidence led the authorities to believe that the suspect was involved in the disappearance and eventual death of Annie de Poortere?
4. The Belgian Public Prosecution Service stated that it was uncertain whether the crime was premeditated or not. How does this affect their decision not to charge the suspect with murder?
5. What are the possible reasons behind the suspect’s admission to burying his ex-wife’s body but claiming she committed suicide?
6. How does the fact that the suspect was the last person to see Annie de Poortere alive influence the investigation and the outcome of the case?
7. If the suspect was found guilty of lying about her whereabouts during the time of her disappearance, what do you think is an appropriate sentence for such an offense?
8. What are your opinions on the handling of this case by the Belgian authorities and the justice system? Do you think there are any improvements that could be made in future cold case investigations?
