The criminal case on appeal against a man who was convicted of involvement in the stabbing of a lawyer in Zoetermeer must be over. That was decided by the Supreme Court on Tuesday. The victim was stabbed in the face and head with a box cutter on September 26, 2017 in the doctor’s office of her office, resulting in life-threatening injuries. A motive for the attack has remained obscure, as has the identity of the man who stabbed.
The court in The Hague sentenced the suspect, Yassine D., on appeal in March last year to nine years and ten months in prison for co-perpetrating attempted murder. Although D. had not stabbed himself, the court held him and a co-defendant responsible for it. The two men had traveled from Amsterdam to Zoetermeer with the unknown plug and a driver. After his conviction by the court, D. lodged an appeal in cassation with the Supreme Court.
One of the legal objections raised by D.’s lawyer in the cassation proceedings was about the so-called ‘intent to kill’, which the court declared proven. That complaint is successful, the Supreme Court ruled. According to the council, it appears from the facts established by the court that D. had contacts with the other men who were involved in the attack, but that does not mean that he also had intent to kill himself. The Court of Appeal did not devote any further considerations to it in its decision, the Supreme Court noted. The council therefore believes that the court should reassess and hear the case.
The attack took place after a brief conversation about a divorce. The victim was left with permanent scars and had to give up her office, which she ran with her sister. The attack was carried out by order, but the client has also remained unknown. D. and his co-defendant have not wished to provide any clarification about the plug or about the client.