According to lawyers of Romanian brothers, their clients are not guilty of murder: “They did not kill him deliberately” (Opwijk)

“We do not dispute that she had nothing to do with it, but we do dispute that they wanted to kill Valentin Popa.” The lawyers of the Puica brothers sounded convinced: Stefan (23) and Bujor (29) killed someone, but that was not intentional. Although one of their comrades, who was in the backseat of the Q7, now claims otherwise.

The Puica brothers are still on trial for murder in the Leuven Court of Assizes, after a discussion about the sale of an Audi Q7 got out of hand. But that is not a correct qualification, as Stefan and Bujor’s lawyers argued on Monday morning.

READ ALSO. Eight accused for assize after discussion about car sales with fatal consequences

“He never had the intention to kill anyone,” said Stefan’s lawyer. “Because if he did, why didn’t he kill the car salesman? The only thing my client is morally guilty of is the fact that someone was run over.”

Fatal accident

According to the brothers’ lawyers, this case concerns an accident that resulted in death, a qualification that carries a much lower penalty. Because Bujor had not stopped his car in order to hit someone, they said. “He was looking for Marcel N., who had to flee from the farm residents. He was beaten and had to flee.” (read more below the photo)

Bujor drove backwards and hit the victim, who later died from his injuries. “He killed someone, but that was not intentional,” said his lawyer. “That he deliberately drove into the victim? No, that is not true. There is no premeditation and no motive. As with any traffic accident, my client must carry this with him for life.”

Accelerated towards crowd

In the afternoon, the lawyers of the six comrades who had traveled to Opwijk were also given the floor. They always maintained that they had heard nothing and seen nothing until now. Because Pavel R.’s lawyer admitted that his client knew more.

READ ALSO. Friends of Romanian brothers provide little information about collision in Opwijk: “I saw nothing, heard nothing”

“He is the only one who spontaneously presented himself to the police in Romania,” he said. “He made an initial statement here, but afterwards he swallowed those words again. Why? Was Pavel threatened and was he afraid? Anyway, that first statement is the correct one. He then spoke the truth.” (read more below the photo)

But what did Pavel say in his first statement? For example, he said that he had to flee from the many farm residents and that is why he crawled into the back seat of the Q7. He said he had to duck because stones were being thrown, but he felt Bujor stop the car after a while and drive backwards over “a number of objects”.

Afterwards Stefan took over the wheel. Pavel felt himself speed up, towards the crowd. He said that he shouted to Stefan that there were people on the street who wanted to evacuate someone who was lying on the roadway. But despite the fact that – according to him – there was sufficient visibility to see the victim, Stefan allegedly continued to drive over the victim.

Consult

The jury will deliberate on Tuesday. They will have to formulate an answer to the guilt questions that will be read to them tomorrow, to which we may already know the answer later in the day.