Suspect faces life for Sittard double murder

25 March 2004

AMSTERDAM — The public prosecution demanded on Thursday in Maastricht Court that a life sentence be imposed on the man accused of a double murder in Sittard, a shooting which also left a nine-year-old girl in a coma.

The 30-year-old Olaf H. is accused of shooting and killing Jo and Ine Zwakhalen, both of them aged 59, in their Sittard home on 12 July last year. He surrendered voluntarily to police.

The couple’s nine-year-old granddaughter, Audrey, was also shot in the head and was admitted to hospital in a coma. She later recovered, but does not remember the incident.

Truck driver H. visited the couple to buy a used BMW on the day of the crime, but has always denied he committed the murder. He admits he was in the house when the shooting occurred, but claims another man shot the three victims.

The prosecution claimed on Thursday that on one else could have shot the three victims, while the defence lawyer demanded the court acquit the defendant.

H. was allegedly in financial trouble and instead of paying the EUR 11,000 for his new car, he decided to shoot the victims.

But the defence lawyer said the purchase receipt was found in the Zwakhalen office and the money has never been found, nor has the murder weapon.

The court will hand down its ruling on 8 April.

Subject: Dutch news