11.5 years in prison for fatal shooting in fake-Rolex robbery at Amsterdam park

The Court of Appeals sentenced 23-year-old Samir El Y. to 11.5 years in prison and institutionalized psychiatric treatment for shooting and killing 24-year-old Bas van Wijk, who was trying to prevent El Y. from stealing his friend’s fake Rolex. The court convicted El Y. of manslaughter, RTL Nieuws reports.

El Y. shot Van Wijk dead on 8 August 2020 on a beach near the Nieuwe Meer in Amsterdam. He fired two shots, one into Van Wijk’s leg and one into his chest. Van Wijk died at the scene. El Y. previously confessed to firing the shots.

“You have taken the life of a 24-year-old young man. You sought the confrontation yourself, and Van Wijk intervened to calm things down and address you about your behavior. He had to pay for that with his life,” the judge said.

In the appeal, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) demanded 16 years in prison and psychiatric treatment against El Y.

In the original ruling, El Y. got nine years in prison and psychiatric treatment due to a technical error by the OM. On the official forms, the OM failed to mention the time and place in several places. The court, therefore, only prosecuted El Y. for manslaughter and dropped the other charges against the man.