Two individuals have been found guilty of the assassination of a well-known Dutch lawyer who was involved in an organized crime case. The suspects, identified only as Girmo B. and Moreno B. by Dutch media, were convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison for their roles in the murder.
Derk Wiersum was tragically murdered outside his home in Amsterdam in September 2019 by a man who subsequently left in a getaway car. Both defendants’ DNA was later discovered in the vehicle by police. In the days leading up to the shooting, the two young men had also utilized other cars to track Wiersum’s movements. Mobile phone data, according to prosecutors, also proved that both men were in the area at the time of the incident.
“The men have showed a complete lack of respect for the life of another with their violent deed,” the Amsterdam District Court declared on Monday. “They took Wiersum’s life only for the purpose of profit, causing tremendous and irreparable sorrow to his wife, children, parents, and other relatives.” His assassination stunned the Netherlands, prompting calls for stricter anti-corruption measures.
The key suspects, including accused Dutch gangland boss Ridouan Taghi, are currently on trial for their roles in six murders and four attempted murders in a long-running case.
Nabil B., Wiersum’s witness, was involved in one of the slayings but made a deal with prosecutors to provide evidence in exchange for a lesser sentence. Peter R. de Vries, a well-known Dutch crime reporter who was fatally shot in Amsterdam on July 6, had functioned as a confidante to the same witness.
Next Monday is the first preliminary hearing in the trial of two persons suspected of being involved in De Vries’ murder. In February, Taghi told courts that he denies the charges and that he “had nothing to do with the murders or a criminal organization.” The caretaker Dutch government committed to spend more on combating organized crime stemming from the country’s wealthy underworld drug trade in recent budget plans.