The court in Breda has Eduard F. from Etten-Leur taken prisoner in court on Friday afternoon. The 51-year-old man is suspected of the disappearance and murder of Jelle Leemans. “This is a serious fact with a major impact. Then you cannot explain to society that a suspect remains free,” said the court chairman.
27-year-old Jelle Leemans disappeared in November 2013 after a drug deal in the border region around Roosendaal. Police and justice think that Eduard F. (51) from Etten-Leur is behind it and killed him. He appeared in court on Thursday and Friday.
The Public Prosecution Service demanded 15 years in prison. F.’s lawyer believes that there is insufficient evidence and that it is based on ‘false statements’.
‘Bizarre’
Both prosecutors asked for immediate detention during the trial on Thursday evening. The suspect’s lawyer called that “bizarre.” He pointed out that F. has been free again since the end of 2014.
After the request, the suspect himself walked outside to smoke, followed by police officers. Then he just came back into the room. He asked if he should bring a sports bag with clean clothes on Friday.
Farewell to his father
As a precaution, he had already driven to his father on Friday morning to say goodbye, he said. His sports bag was ready. F. emphasized that he had no intention of running away and had simply come to court.
In the meantime, a possible arrest was already being prepared in the corridors. The bag had to go inside. As a precaution, because the judge’s decision was not yet known at the time.
After the lawyer’s plea on Friday afternoon, the prosecutors again asked for the suspect to be arrested immediately. The court had to think about that for more than an hour.
85 days in custody
On December 5, 2014, the suspect was sent home after 85 days in custody. But then more evidence came. Because on December 15, 2014, it turned out that Jelle’s blood had been found in the suspect’s car. DNA of Eduard F. was also found in the suspect’s car.
The court chairman said that F. had to be arrested. “This is a serious fact with a major impact. With a serious suspicion, you cannot explain to society that a suspect remains free.”
She turned to the suspect. “You will be remanded in custody. This is not a final decision. A final judgment is about legal and convincing evidence.”
‘See you in May’
Eduard F. was allowed to say something but only responded with: “I’ll see you in May”. Then the court will pronounce its verdict. He whistled and waved to the grandstand where family was sitting and then disappeared into the cell block with two police officers.
His lawyer Henk van Asselt was speechless and seemed genuinely angry. He repeated shortly after the hearing that he finds the decision bizarre. “The case has been going on for ten years and I don’t think anything fundamental has changed. I find this downright shocking that the suspect has to go back to jail.”
Van Asselt can already see the storm coming: “I have no confidence in a good judgment and can already predict that this case will come out in Den Bosch.” With this he indicates that he will appeal if Eduard F. is convicted of the disappearance and murder of Jelle Leemans.