2023-11-09 15:01:00
Luis Gonzalez Rojas was shot nine times with a 22 caliber on the night of February 16 to 17, 2020 in Manage. We know that Didier Bauwens did research about this type of weapon and that he obtained one on February 15, according to witnesses. However, no weapon was found at his home and the murder weapon disappeared. Didier Bauwens denies having purchased a weapon.
According to the investigation, a certain Francesco was behind the sale. Driver, the almost sixty-year-old explains that in September 2021, the police arrived at his home to question him about the sale of a weapon to Claude, the brother of Didier Bauwens. Claude did not come to testify, to the great regret of Me Lauvaux, Didier Bauwens’ lawyer.
A rifle for 500 euros
The witness says. “Several months earlier, my cousin, who has since passed away, told me he wanted to get rid of a gun because he had become a Jehovah’s Witness. He asked me to sell it. I spoke to several people about it, including Claude”.
The weeks passed. “One day, Claude asked me if I still had the weapon I had offered him. He told me it was for his brother, who wanted to hunt hares. I went to my cousin’s house, but he had changed his mind. I insisted, he thought about it and agreed to sell it for 500 euros”.
The weapon hidden in a holster
Francesco traveled from Saint-Vaast to Haine-Saint-Pierre with the weapon, hidden in a case. He specifies that he has never seen the weapon. “My cousin told me it was a carbon rifle, with scope and silencer, for hunting. It was new, he told me.”
In Haine-Saint-Pierre, Claude was waiting for him in front of a bar. “He asked me to follow him. We went to a small cul-de-sac, to his mother’s house. I gave him the case and everything in it. He gave me an envelope. I received 600 euros. I gave 500 euros to my cousin and I kept 100 euros”.
He confirms that Claude complained of a “twisted exhaust pipe” the day after the sale. “I offered to give it back to me. Finally, he informed me that his brother kept the 22 LR rifle”
Brabant Killers
Francesco confirms that it took him a while to confess, “because I was afraid of reprisals from Claude, who said he had served 23 years in prison for thefts. He said he had been worried about the killings in Brabant.”
Me Lauvaux, lawyer for Didier Bauwens, is surprised by this sale to a man who has been in prison. “He was not dangerous. He said he was like Arsène Lupin,” answers Francesco.
The witness specifies that Claude had informed him of his brother’s arrest for homicide. He adds that he does not know either of the two accused. “I only had contact with Claude”.
Francesco wanted to go to the police
Me Lauvaux, lawyer for Didier Bauwens, notes inconsistencies in Francesco’s statement. The latter provides some details and specifies that he wanted to declare the sale of this weapon to the police, after the crime, but he claims that Claude was tricking him into not going.
Francesco did not know that Claude had been convicted of trafficking in explosives. On the other hand, he knew that he had been convicted in connection with drug trafficking. “I’m sorry I sold that gun,” he said.
Pepe le gaucher and Bongiorno
Me Lauvaux asks him if he saw Claude give the weapon to Didier. “I didn’t see him, but I learned that this weapon had been given to him, perhaps the same day.”
The lawyer mentions the name “Pepe the left-hander”, a nice nickname for a group of bandits. Francesco knows this guy, “because he is from Morlanwelz and I am from Saint-Vaast”. In his statement, he said it dates back to the 1980s. “He was respected in the area, I never had any connection with him. We Italians all know each other.”
Me Lauvaux reminded the jurors, after Francesco’s testimony, that the latter was indicted when he made his statements to the police. Since then, he has not been bothered by the law.
the neighbor
The lady who lived next to the house of Luis Gonzalez Rojas and Anneliese Audain in Bois d’Haine also came to testify in court. During the investigation, this lady said that she had seen Luis’ van leave at 2 a.m., the night of February 16 to 17, 2020. This time does not match the images recorded on rue de la Petite Suisse and rue des Vingt- five francs.
She remembers that her husband had not taken out the trash because of the strong wind. “I went down at 1:30 a.m. to take out the trash. The van was there. Around 2 a.m., I heard a door slam, I looked out the window and saw the van leaving towards La Motte. I didn’t see the driver”. The witness only saw the back of the van as it left, but she claimed to have recognized the logo of the Pirson Montage firm. This remains an enigma.
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