PHILIPSBURG--Two brothers will have to stand trial February 14, 2018, on their suspected involvement in the murder of Franky Brunache in Hope Estate on January 24, 2017.
Suspects H.H.M. (22) and H.F.M. (26) were also led before a Judge in the Pointe Blanche prison on September 29 for a previous pro-forma hearing. They appeared before a Judge once again in the Court of First Instance on Wednesday.
The Prosecutor’s Office called for a postponement of the trial during yesterday’s criminal proceedings, as the investigations in this case have not yet been completed.
Witnesses still need to be questioned and investigations into a third suspect are still ongoing, the Prosecutor explained to the Court.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the suspects gunned down Brunache in cold blood near the driveway of his home. The two brothers have been held in preventive custody since February 24.
Standing in for his colleague Geert Hatzmann, defence lawyer Cor Merx requested that the Court lift or suspend both suspects’ pre-trial detention.
The two defendants said they were locked up for something about which they had no knowledge.
The Prosecutor’s Office saw no grounds to lift the young men’s pre-trial detention. The Judge followed suit in stating that the criminal interests in this case weighed more heavily than the two suspects’ personal interests.
