The judge allegedly missed the deadline for delivering the complaint of the defendant against custody – which he himself decided upon – to the Regional Court Bratislava, the Plus sedem dní weekly informed. The same judge is also behind the release of Karol Mello, the man tried for several serious crimes including murders who was wanted by international warrant and long sought after, the weekly wrote.
Salary of judge responsible for Mello’s release will be reduced Read more On November 5, the Dutch suspect appeared at Bratislava I District Court, however. He refused to testify in regard to the death of Simona, aged 25; he only claimed innocence. The owner of the flat on Obchodná Street in downtown Bratislava – which caught fire – testified in court, but she only said she saw the defendant one day before the murder for the first time, and that the couple felt like “there was some tension between them”, she said, as quoted by the TASR newswire. She added, however, that they had plans for the future, including inviting Gerrit’s parents for a visit to Slovakia.
The injured parties of the trial have claimed damage compensation amounting to €100,000. Simona’s mother is officially still unable to work since the accident.
Last November, police found the burnt body of a young woman after a fire in the flat. Gerrit Jan K. is accused of having hit Simona on her head and then set her on fire. She suffered vast burns on several parts of her body and then died from the injuries.
