The safety of Marengo key witness Nabil B. is “still not” properly arranged. This is according to his lawyer Peter Schouten to press agency ANP. B. will be released soon.
B. is a key witness in the extensive Marengo trial surrounding the criminal organization of Ridouan Taghi. Het Parool reported on Tuesday morning that his family is very concerned, as the key witness will be released soon.
There are fears that the underworld will attempt to find out B.’s whereabouts through his family. Incidentally, the family knows nothing about the location of the key witness.
Schouten tells ANP that he finds it “insane” that B.’s safety is not yet in order. “It’s about safety, safety, safety,” says the lawyer. “I have been amazed for years that the Public Prosecution Service does not seem to understand this.”
The lawyer refers to a highly critical report by the Dutch Safety Board (OVV) from March 2023. In it, the OVV concludes that the judiciary made serious mistakes surrounding the murder of three key figures in the Marengo trial. After the Public Prosecution Service (OM) made a deal with B., his brother Reduan, lawyer Derk Wiersum, and crime journalist Peter R. de Vries were murdered within three years. The latter assisted B. as a confidant.
OM says it has learned from mistakes
The Public Prosecution Service (OM) states in a response to NU.nl that it cannot comment on B.’s safety situation. A spokesperson also does not want to respond to Schouten’s statements. However, she says that the judiciary has learned from the mistakes addressed in the OVV report.
B. received a sentence reduction in exchange for his incriminating statements about, among others, Marengo main suspect Ridouan Taghi. He has now almost served his sentence. “For Nabil, it is double,” says Schouten. “On the one hand, he is happy that he is being released. But he is very concerned about the safety of his family and others involved.”
The extensive Marengo liquidation process is currently on appeal. A new hearing is scheduled for September 2. Taghi and two co-defendants have been sentenced to life imprisonment by the court.