2023-04-26 16:14:00
Nicu C., the ex-companion of Raul’s mother, claims not to be involved in the death of this nine-year-old boy whose lifeless body was recovered on April 13 in the port district of Ghent. The 34-year-old man, originally from Romania, was apprehended on April 14 in the Netherlands as part of the investigation into this death and handed over to Belgium on Tuesday. He appeared on Wednesday before the investigating judge in Ghent before being placed under an arrest warrant, confirmed the East Flanders prosecutor’s office.
“He is seriously shocked”, according to his lawyer Sven Staelens. “He will appear on Friday before the council chamber which will decide on his continued detention”. The 34-year-old man “has made very detailed statements and is cooperating with the investigation”, assures Me Staelens. “He is not afraid of confrontation with Raul’s mother”. The defense, however, did not comment on the defendant’s position on the charges.
‘Don’t send me back to Belgium, my mother will kill me’: Raul, the 9-year-old boy killed in Ghent, was afraid of his mother
Discovered on April 13 in the Houtdok, in Ghent, the body of the young boy was locked in a sports bag. It would have been thrown into the water at the end of January. His disappearance had gone unnoticed until relatives of the family alerted the authorities.
The 30-year-old was arrested on April 14 in Bakel, in the province of North Brabant in the Netherlands. He is suspected of being involved in Raul’s death. Before the Dutch courts, the man accepted the accelerated surrender procedure to Belgium. He was extradited on Tuesday morning before being interrogated by police for hours. He appeared on Wednesday before the investigating judge in Ghent, who placed him under an arrest warrant. The prosecution confirmed his arrest, without specifying the charges.
Yoana M., Raul’s 34-year-old mother, was also placed under arrest warrant last week by the investigating judge. She is, among other things, suspected of manslaughter, assault and battery and disposal of the body.
In her initial statements, made before the discovery of the body, she had denied her involvement in the death of her son. However, she was present when Raul’s body was thrown into the water, according to her daughter’s statements.
Raul would have been the victim of serious domestic violence, said the East Flanders prosecutor’s office without giving further details. He died following being hit on the head by his mother with a thermos bottle, according to his grandmother’s statements to Romanian media. These statements might not be confirmed by the investigators.
The mother and her ex-companion mutually reject responsibility for this infanticide. “The investigation is continuing and will show who was involved in this case and how,” explains Me Staelens.
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