Weski's arrest causes problems for Taghi's trial: four protagonists without a lawyer

2023-04-25 01:00:24

The major liquidation process Marengo again suffers serious damage. Now that the arrested criminal lawyer Inez Weski has been forced to put down the defense of Ridouan Taghi, the main suspect is without a lawyer. The same applied to key witness Nabil B.

Walter Laumans in Paul Vugts25 april 202303:00

In addition to Weski, Ridouan Taghi was assisted in the monster trial by her office mates Susanne Boersma and Laura Versluis, but Weski unmistakably led the defense. This also applies to the defense of the also prominent suspects Mao and Mario R., against whom the Public Prosecution Service (OM) also demanded life imprisonment in June 2022.

Advanced stage

Although the substantive treatment of mega case Marengo is at a very advanced stage, the fact that no less than four important suspects are without their first choice lawyer gives new headaches.

The court will have to decide how to proceed. “In general, it is wise for suspects to be assisted by a lawyer – especially in major cases with major interests,” the Amsterdam court said through a spokesperson. “Whether and how a suspect is assisted is something between the suspect and the lawyer. In principle, the court is not involved in this. Marengo is of course a major case in which major interests play a role, but it is currently too early to determine what all developments mean for the progress of the process.”

Inez Weski’s lawyers announced on Monday afternoon via a summary press release that they are resigning the defense of Ridouan Taghi. Not long after, the OM reported that the investigating judge in Rotterdam had decided that Weski should stay in jail for two weeks longer. She is ‘in all limitations’. This means that, except with her lawyers, she is not allowed to have any contact with the outside world.

‘Circus Marengo’

Laying down the defense of the main suspect is yet another chapter of what is cynically called ‘circus Marengo’ in the corridors. Right from the start, the trial against Ridouan Taghi and sixteen co-defendants has been an oppressive legal frenzy that seems to have no end.

The sad interim score: with brother Reduan of crown witness Nabil B. (2018), his lawyer Derk Wiersum (2019) and confidant Peter R. de Vries (2021), three people died during the process. Since March 14 of this year, Nabil B. has been without lawyers. The reason why Peter Schouten and Onno de Jong then dropped the case has not been disclosed. Nabil B. himself said that he wanted to finish the tail end of the case without lawyers, but the court has not yet determined whether that is considered responsible.

Now that Inez Weski has also been roughly pulled out of the criminal case, it is even more questionable whether the court can still pass judgment on October 20, as planned.

Mohamed Razzouki

On Tuesday, the case would continue with the rejoinder in the case of suspect Mohamed Razzouki: his lawyers’ response to what prosecutors have argued against their plea. That rejoinder has been moved at the request of Razzouki’s lawyers Nico Meijering and Christian Flokstra. According to the counsel, this was done because they “can not oversee the impact of that arrest and the underlying investigation into the Marengo case at the moment.”

The rejoinder has now been moved to May 15. That day will also become clearer how the court wants to proceed with Marengo.

In addition to the Marengo trial, Weski’s arrest also has consequences for other criminal cases. She has a richly filled portfolio with high-profile lawsuits. It is still unknown how they should proceed.