Expatica news

News in brief – 24 March

TBS detention demanded for Pieper’s attacker

The prosecution demanded in Haarlem Court on Wednesday compulsory TBS psychiatric detention and treatment for the man who stabbed former Philips executive Roel Pieper and his wife last year. The 43-year-old P. T. entered the backyard of the Pieper’s house in Aerdenhout on 31 May 2003 and attacked them with a knife. Pieper’s wife was seriously injured, but survived the attack. Pieper received only minor injuries. Psychiatric experts said the Amsterdam suspect was experiencing psychotic thoughts at the time of the attack. The defendant has confessed to the crime.

Congolese man on trial for torture, rape

The trial of Congolese asylum seeker started in Rotterdam on Wednesday. The 51-year-old man is accused of torture and rape in the Democrat Republic of Congo during the reign of President Mobutu Sese Seko. The defendant, Sebastien Nzapali, was sentenced to 10-years jail after the president was ousted in 1997, but escaped to the Netherlands, Radio Netherlands reported. It has been possible in the Netherlands since October to try foreigners for crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the defendant’s country of origin.

Majority of Dutch would prefer to stop working

Two thirds of all working Dutch people dream of being able to stop work today, recruiting agency Stepstone said based on the results from a survey of European employees. The survey found 52 percent of Dutch nationals would gladly stop working now to pursue leisure activities, while 14 percent said they wished to get rid of daily stress. A total of 24 percent want to keep working because they would miss the challenge, while the final 10 percent questioned what they would do with all the free time. Just 47 percent of Germans and Norwegians want to give up working as quickly as possible. The Dutch urge to stop working was only topped by the wishes of Italian workers.

Man killed in garbage truck accident

A 53-year-old garbage collector was killed at about 9.30am in Schiedam on Wednesday when he was run over by the garbage truck. He was standing behind the truck when the accident occurred. The 54-year-old driver did not see his colleague and backed the vehicle over him. The victim was killed instantly and police have described the incident as a tragic workplace accident.

Bruinsma’s killer buried

Martin Hoogland, the former police officer who killed mafia boss Klaas Bruinsma, was buried in the Zorgvlied cemetery in Amsterdam on Wednesday. Hoogland, 47, was shot and killed at 4pm on 18 March near the Hoorn train station and no arrests have been made. He shot and killed Bruinsma in Amsterdam in 1991.

Thief trapped in ‘theft-proof’ car

A 19-year-old thief was caught in Utrecht after being unable to escape from a parked car he had broken into. The door to the Volvo stood open and the man closed it behind him when he got into the vehicle to search for valuable items. But the car alarm was triggered and all car doors instantly locked, trapping the thief red-handed.

[Copyright Expatica News 2004]

Subject: Dutch news