Does Taghi already have a lawyer and when does the case against Inez Weski start? Five questions about the complex Marengo process

The Marengo punishment shop is no longer just about the murders and the attempts for which Ridouan Taghi and his sixteen fellow suspects are accused. This process, which is now on appeal, has a series of things that are directly or indirectly related to Marengo.

For example, cases against the two lawyers who have assisted Taghi: Inez Weski and Vito Shukrula. There is a criminal proceedings against the eldest son of Taghi who, like the lawyers, is suspected of involvement in the criminal organization that his father would have run from prison.

And then there is also an appeal in the criminal cases around the murder of two people from the circle around Nabil B., the crown witness who has declared a burden against Taghi and a number of co -suspects.

Five questions about the Marengo criminal case: a tangle of criminal cases that are sometimes loosely, sometimes very closely intertwined with the trial against Ridouan Taghi.

1
Does Taghi already have a lawyer after the arrest of his former lawyer Shukrula in April?

This is probably the most difficult issue. During the last session, Taghi told the court that he has not yet found a suitable candidate.

This summer, the Dutch Bar Association – the supervisor of the legal profession – sent a letter to all lawyers asking if they want to defend Taghi. Whether that success has harvested is unclear.

Even if Taghi presents a lawyer this week, it needs a lot of time to read in

Before the Court, Taghi’s legal aid is of the utmost importance. Every suspect is entitled to a fair trial and assistance of a lawyer is crucial for this. As long as Taghi has no lawyer, the Marengo case is almost quiet. And given that it is more than a year and a half ago that the court in Amsterdam has given judgment (lifetime).

Even if Taghi presents a lawyer this week, it needs a lot of time to read. Given earlier lawyers changes, this will certainly take nine to twelve months. As a result, the substantive handling of the case is probably not starting before the summer of 2026. A decision of the Court is expected at the earliest in the spring of 2027.

2
What about the appeal of Ridouan Taghi and the sixteen co -suspects?

For various reasons, the appeal has been more or less staggered and considerably delayed.

For example, one of the three counselors of the Amsterdam Court has been replaced because he was involved in an earlier case against crown witness Nabil B. The new counselor will appear for the first time this Tuesday at an interim public session. That is why the Public Prosecution Service has to reconsider the indictment.

The new counselor must also read in the immense amount of documents that make up the Marengo file. In addition, certain investigative acts will have to be done if the lawyers of the suspects believe that the new counselor should take note of it. This is mainly about hearing witnesses.

The most important witness, Nabil B. is heard again anyway because of his special status as a suspect and crown witness.

3
When will things be dealt with against the former lawyers of Taghi: Weski and Shukrula?

Regarding the OM: as soon as possible. But the defense of Inez Weski has numerous research wishes in preparation for the substantive handling of her case.

Such as the interrogation of the director of the prison, where Weski was held in April 2023. According to Weski and her lawyers, that detention was unlawful. The interrogation is intended to further investigate that statement and will be held this Tuesday during a public session. How the handling of her case then continues is unclear. In any case, the court in Rotterdam wants to proceed to the substantive treatment before the end of the year.

Where the Public Prosecution Service is in a hurry with the Weski case, it is precisely the defense of Vito Shukrula who wants to speed up with his case. Shukrula’s lawyer Nico Meijering has announced in a press release that he and his client want to handle the case at a public session as quickly as possible. As far as is known, no date has been punctured yet.

4
The punishment of Nabil B. is almost over. Does he qualify for provisional release?

In principle, Nabil B. has the same rights as ordinary suspects, but the OM has appealed. Because his sentence is not yet final, Nabil B. is in pre -trial detention. That decision is related to the status of this crown witness, the OM reported. In the deal, Nabil B. has promised to remain available for interrogation. Due to the provisional detention, only the Court can decide whether it will be released and under what conditions.

At least, that’s how it works formally. In practice, the security of Nabil B. plays a role. The crown -witness scheme prescribes that a judge or counselor must, among other things, judge the reliability of his statements. In the criminal case around an earlier crown witness (Peter La Serpe in the Liquidation Process Passage 2009-2013) played something similar. La Serpe was then released in anticipation of a suspension request, so that he could be housed in a safe location. That took place before the court’s decision at first instance. It was judged in retrospect that this previously released was unlawful.

What the Public Prosecution Service is in a hurry with Weski’s case, it is precisely the defense of Shukrula who wants to speed up

There is a second precedent. In the appeal of the aforementioned case, a second crown witness performed: Fred Ros. According to a spokesperson for the OM, the Court of Appeal in Ros’ case suspended for pre -trial detention, because he still had to be heard at the hearing.

In anticipation of the hearing in the Marengo case This Tuesday, Peter Schouten, Nabil B.’s lawyer, does not want to answer questions about the provisional detention of his client. Whether he has submitted a request for suspension is not known.

5
What about the other Marengo cases?

In the criminal case against the eldest son of Ridouan Taghi, a request for challenge from the court was rejected two weeks ago for bias. When the case will be dealt with in terms of content, it is yet unclear. Faissal Taghi is suspected of drug trafficking and membership of the criminal organization of his father.

In the things around the murders of Derk Wiersum and Peter R. de Vries, higher professions run. The case of De Vries is about both the implementers and the organizers of that murder. Penalties of thirty years in prison were imposed in it. A new suspect has recently been arrested: Raily B. According to the OM, he played a role in managing some suspects from his cell in a prison in Curaçao. His case is dealt with separately, when is still unclear.

For the murder of lawyer Derk Wiersum, the implementers were also sentenced to thirty years in prison on appeal, after it had demanded lifelong. That punishment is final after a decision by the Supreme Court in 2024.

The criminal case against the organizers is still on appeal. The main suspect in that case is a cousin of Ridouan Taghi who has been sentenced to 26 years in prison. In those things, Ridouan Taghi himself is never considered a suspect.

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