Man convicted of murder of Robert Sengers sentenced to life in prison

The court in Breda agreed with the Public Prosecution's recommendation on Tuesday, handing out a life sentence to the 62-year-old Johan S. The man was convicted for the murder of the Eindhoven criminal Robert Sengers in Esbeek, Brabant, in 2004. DNA evidence was found 15 years later after the cold case was reopened.

Sengers was shot several times in his car in a parking garage at a restaurant in Esbeek on September eight, 2004. "A cold, ruthless murder," the court called it. Sengers was known to the police for drug dealing. He was apparently warned that his name was on a death list.

An ex-girlfriend of the suspect said in a statement that S. told her with pride about a murder "somewhere by a restaurant in a wooded area where a scooter was used." Witnesses saw the suspect drive away on a scooter after the murder. The vehicle was found a few days later in the nearby area. The handles had gunshot residue and DNA on them.

Several investigations into the DNA followed. Nothing of use came forward until 2019 when improved techniques at the Dutch forensic institute resulted in a match with S. There was no doubt to the court who committed the murder.

S. had already been sentenced to eighteen years in prison for the murder of ecstasy manufacturer Mohamed Yaacoubi in 2002. The court had to take this into account, which meant that it could impose a prison sentence of up to two years or life imprisonment. She chose the latter. The fact that S. did not express any form of sympathy or regret played a role in this.

S. did not want to explain anything in the court. His lawyer felt that he should have been acquitted. They found the ex-partner's statement unreliable and the trace investigation not suitable as evidence.

The court sees the murder as a settlement in the criminal world. "It may seem like this is less serious, but Robert Sengers was also a human being. It may be true that he was active in the criminal drug environment, but that in no way justifies this murder."

Sengers lived in Neerpelt in Belgium in the villa area where other murdered criminals, Sam Klepper, John Mieremet, and Marco Eijk, also lived.