The Graz Regional Criminal Court has been handling a trial surrounding a brutal knife murder in Algeria since 2022. The suspect is a 27-year-old Algerian who fled to Austria shortly after the bloody crime. He was acquitted of murder on Wednesday. After five years in custody he was allowed to leave.
A stab 16.5 centimeters (!) deep in the chest meant the death of a 22-year-old Algerian in December 2019 – the end of a fight between about ten young men in Constantine, the third largest city in the North African country.
A jury in Graz has been dealing with this murder since the beginning of April 2022, which has now been five years ago. The fifth day of the trial took place on Wednesday. The 27-year-old has not felt guilty so far, but stated that his cousin was the perpetrator. What is stressful for the Algerian is the fact that immediately after the bloody crime he took a taxi to Tunisia and fled abroad. A few months later he was arrested in Styria. He has been in custody in Graz ever since.
“It was just fate”
The suspect has now been convicted of murder in his home country, so extradition is excluded; he risks the death penalty. The neat young man protested in court that he had wanted to leave the country for a long time. He would already have had a visa for Turkey. The fact that the murder and his departure occurred on the same day was simply ‘fate’.
“Trip planned for a long time”
His lawyer also emphasized this: “The Public Prosecution Service acts as if there is incriminating evidence.” However, the arguments put forward are largely incorrect. The lawyer saw the fact that there were no DNA traces of the suspect on the murder weapon as exculpatory. “The only thing that speaks against him is that he left the country after the crime,” the lawyer said. The trip was planned well in advance and the incident may have only strengthened the decision.
Reconstructing the confusing events of that time was difficult. The stabbing murder in the course of the fight between a dozen people was probably preceded by a long-standing feud between rival groups of young men. Although the two cousins were on the same side, their relationship was probably also marked by arguments. The Graz Public Prosecutor’s Office was dependent on cooperation with Algerian authorities in the investigation – and this was “very difficult”.
There are witnesses who would have seen bloodshed
The Algerian stated on one of the previous days of the trial that he had spoken to one of those involved who claimed to have seen the cousin stab the victim. But he doesn’t want to testify ‘because he’s afraid’.
Then the decision on Wednesday. The lay judges believed the defendant, acquitted him of murder and convicted him “only” because of the argument. Six months in prison, three months of which were deducted due to the length of the procedure. The 27-year-old was immediately released. The judgment is not final.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
