45-year-old Hans O. was also acquitted on appeal of the murder of Ralf Meinema in 2017. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) demanded another 20 years in prison against the Emmen resident at the end of November. The victim’s relatives covered their faces in dismay.
The court thus reached the same judgment as the court in Assen in May 2022. There was too little convincing evidence, there were too many ‘open ends’ to reach a conviction, the court also ruled. Despite the fact that this is a repetition of moves, the statement was a bombshell. Only the Supreme Court can still be asked to consider the case. In that case, the Supreme Court only assesses whether the rules have been properly applied. There is no longer any discussion about the facts.
Meinema was found lifeless in the trunk of his car in March 2017. The car protruded halfway out of the water of the Stieltjeskanaal near Coevorden. The case has therefore become known as the ‘trunk murder’. The man from Klazienaveen had been violently killed. Brain damage was the cause of death. He was hit on the head several times with a heavy object. The man was mutilated.
O. was first arrested in 2018, together with his nephew Harm O. and another suspect: Kenny B. The Public Prosecution Service decided in 2022 that the last two would not be prosecuted. There was too little evidence for that.
Hans O. was also released, but was arrested again in October 2020. There was an anonymous witness who reported that O. told him that he had killed Meinema.
A DNA trace from O. was also found on the victim’s pants. According to the court, there are alternative scenarios that could just as easily be considered true. Due to the acquittal, there is a good chance that surviving relatives will have to live forever with the question of who killed Ralf and especially why. The acquittal also means that the compensation of 68,000 euros is off the table.