Maja suspect to be released

5 December 2003

AMSTERDAM — The 15-year-old girl held in connection with the murder of schoolgirl Maja Bradaric, 16, will be released on Sunday despite objections from the public prosecutor.

An Arnhem Court ordered the girl be released when the period of her remand custody ends, but the prosecution said the teenager will remain a suspect in the case, newspaper De Telegraaf reported on Friday.

Five suspects were initially arrested, but one teenage girl has already been released and after Sunday’s release of the second female suspect, there will be just three suspects still in custody.

Two 18-year-old suspects from Nijmegen and Beuningen have confessed to their involvement in the killing. A 16-year-old youth, a former boyfriend of Maja, claims he is innocent, but the prosecution suspects he knows more than he is telling about the murder.

Maja Bradaric’s burning body was found near the eastern city of Nijmegen by passing motorists shortly after midnight on 18 November. She was killed before her body was set alight and there was no indication of a sexual assault.

The prosecution has said the motive for the murder is relationship-based and has denied claims that one of the 18-year-old suspects is a nephew of the victim. It also denied that the murder was a sort Islamic honour killing.

Subject: Dutch news