The investigation into the fire at the home of Rotterdam alderman Faouzi Achbar (DENK) last year has taken a striking turn. Achbar himself now appears to be a suspect. The Public Prosecution Service is investigating whether he ordered the arson.
This was announced during a lawsuit against the 38-year-old Rotterdammer who was arrested as a suspect in January. He confessed in the investigation that he committed arson at the alderman’s house in the Lombardijen district on July 6 last year. The alderman and his family were not at home at the time.
The man stated that he did so on the instructions of two intermediaries. The suspect claims that Achbar directed those intermediaries. Insurance fraud is said to be the motive for the order.
The National Criminal Investigation Department is investigating that scenario in a new investigation. In it, Achbar has been officially designated as a suspect. This makes it possible to question him, but also enables the alderman to be assisted by a lawyer.
Achbar himself has not yet responded to the National Criminal Investigation Department’s investigation on Friday. The Rotterdam college of mayor and aldermen did share a joint statement. “This arrest of alderman Achbar is intense. It has a major impact on him and his family. The college, including alderman Achbar, has full confidence in the legal process and the investigation that follows.”
DENK expresses support for Achbar
The Rotterdam branch of DENK, Achbar’s party, speaks of a “completely absurd, unfounded and almost ridiculous accusation”. “It is painful and completely unacceptable that Achbar, as a victim of a serious crime, is now being accused.” The party expresses its “full support” to the alderman and his family.
DENK has its doubts about the suspect’s statement. According to DENK, the man “demonstrably suffers from psychoses” and has “great difficulty distinguishing reality from fiction.”
Achbar told Rijnmond at the end of December that the arson had a major impact on him and his family. “I have a family that I also have to protect. I choose politics, but they don’t,” he said.
The public prosecutor demanded a two-year prison sentence on Friday in court, eight months of which were suspended, against the man who confessed to committing the arson.
Another suspect who was arrested in January has yet to appear before the judge. That suspect is said to be one of the two possible intermediaries.