Omar Ettaleb on the Run: Breaking News and Updates on his Escape and Trial

2023-10-16 13:26:00

Omar Ettaleb cut off his electronic bracelet and is on the run, the prosecution said Monday morning. The man is now reported in Belgium and internationally. A warrant will be issued once morest him. The accused did not appear this Monday morning when his trial resumed.

Omar Ettaleb (33 years old), Zakaria El Bouraqui (25 years old) and Sami Gallout (24 years old) are accused of having committed theft with the aggravating circumstance of murder. Ilyas Kösker, a 44-year-old from Liège, disappeared on June 28, 2019.

The escape

Omar Ettaleb did not appear this Monday morning when his trial resumed. He claimed to be suffering from an illness and went to the emergency room at Citadel Hospital, where a court-appointed medical examiner later determined he was capable of attending trial. He was invited to join the Assize Court by his lawyers.

In the meantime, Omar Ettaleb might be located via the electronic bracelet he wore, since he was appearing under the bracelet detention regime. The deputy public prosecutor, however, announced that this electronic bracelet was cut near the Atlas bridge in Liège. Omar Ettaleb is therefore considered on the run.

The public prosecutor’s office has launched a national and international report. A warrant of arrest has now been drawn up by the president of the Assize Court.

Unprecedented scenario

The thirty-year-old’s flight on Monday morning, however, confronts justice with a unique legal question since, if the proceedings resume, the man will then be judged in absentia.

“A ruling from the Court of Cassation considers that the detainee cannot take the liberty of transforming the adversarial procedure (in his presence, Editor’s note) into a default procedure (in his absence, Editor’s note). This is a new scenario, which no other president of the Assize Court has yet been confronted with.“, indicated the president of the Assize Court of Liège.

Omar Ettaleb’s two lawyers, Paul Delbouille and François Wintgens, consider that they can no longer represent their client, without instructions from him.

The court finally decided to continue the proceedings with the other defendants. It will take place by default for Omar Ettaleb.

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