After judge’s sentence, Public Ministry admits
Authorities cannot prove violent death of Holloway
Investigation of the case will continue
DIARIO Aruba
12/06/2007

ORANJESTAD (AAN) — After the judge dictated his sentence in the Holloway case yesterday, we received a press release from the Public Ministry. The release said the following: “Today, the Common Court of Justice rejected the Public Ministry’s appeal in the case against the suspects S.K. and D.K. Monday, December 3, 2007 the Public Ministry appealed the judge-commissioner’s decision of November 30, 2007 to reject the request to prolong their detention (bewaring).

The hearing of the appeal case took place yesterday, Tuesday, December 4, behind closed doors. During the hearing, the suspects D.K. and S.K. were personally present. The hearing of the appeal - minus a short pause – lasted more or less two hours, during which the interim Prosecutor-General was able to explain his reasoning as to why the Public Ministry was not in agreement with the judge-commissioner. Later, the suspects’ lawyers were able to react upon to the Public Ministry’s arguments.

In brief, the Common Court gave the following explanation: Although there has been a long and deep investigation of this case, the file against the Kalpoe brothers doesn’t have direct indications that Natalee Holloway died from an act of violence. If the current phase of the investigation - 2 ½ [years] after her disappearance – is taken into consideration, the Common Court is of the opinion that neither are there sufficient indications or objections to suspect that the brothers were involved in the crimes for which the Public Ministry requests their preventive detention.

It is not possible to appeal the decision of the Common Court. This decision as to the preventive detention doesn’t mean that the investigation cannot continue and/or that it is not possible to prosecute the suspects.

The investigation of this case will continue. In the case against J.v.d.S., Thursday, December 6, 2007, the judge-commissioner will hear the Public Ministry’s request to prolong his detention and also his lawyer’s request to terminate his preventive detention.”

This is how the Public Ministry’s press release read.

[translated by Getagrip]