Supreme Court confirms 30 year sentences for men convicted for attorney Wiersum's murder
The Supreme Court confirmed the appeal court’s conviction of Moreno B. (35) and Giërmo B. (40) for the murder of Derk Wiersum. Their sentences of 30 years in prison for planning and executing the defense attorney’s murder is thereby final - no appeal is possible against the Supreme Court ruling.
Wiersum was shot dead in front of his Amsterdam home on 18 September 2019. Last year, the Court of Appeals convicted the two men of meticulously planning to kill the defense attorney, and committing the murder together for payment, though it was never conclusively proven who pulled the trigger.
Wiersum was part of the legal team representing Nabil B., the key witness in the sprawling Marengo proceedings against Ridouan Taghi and his associates. The appeals court noted that Wiersum's murder not only caused intense pain for his loved ones, but also caused a deep sense of social unrest.
In their appeal to the Supreme Court, the suspects' lawyers argued that the court gave too much weight to Wiersum’s profession when determining the sentence. They also argued against the court’s decision not to reduce the men’s sentences due to the media attention this case received and filed several complaints about the evidence used.
The Supreme Court ruled these arguments as unfounded, saying that they cannot result in the annulment of the court’s rulings and do not raise legally important new questions that need to be answered. The Supreme Court upheld the appeals court ruling and sentencing. “With the Supreme Court’s ruling, the convictions and the prison sentences imposed are final.”
Wiersum was not the only person connected to Nabil B. to get murdered. The key witness’s brother, Reduan, was shot dead in Amsterdam in 2018. Shurandy S. is serving 28 years for that murder. Crime reporter Peter R. de Vries, who acted as Nabil B.’s confidant, was also assassinated in Amsterdam in 2021. The trial against the suspects in his murder is still ongoing. The court is set to rule on June 12.
The Marengo process against Taghi and his associates concluded earlier this year. Taghi and two others were sentenced to life in prison for their roles in six assassinations, four attempted killings, and plans to murder several others. Fourteen other suspects got sentences ranging from 21 months to over 29 years in prison.
