Philippe V. (62), the ex-finder in the investigation into the Gang of Nijvel, who this week was arrested because the investigation may have been manipulated, is held. That confirms the federal public prosecutor’s office. V. is held for the withholding of information at the time that he was part of the police, and for “participation in an association of criminals with the purpose of committing a crime”.
Philippe V. was Tuesday invited to a hearing and yesterday the whole day being interrogated. He was again this morning interrogated by investigating judge Martine Michel in Charleroi, which put him under aanhoudingsmandaat placed. Notable: V. is held for both “the concealment of information at the time that he was part of the police”, as for “participation in an association of criminals with the purpose of committing a crime”. the
The current research team suspects the man of it, to be involved in a possible manipulation of the research on the finds in the channel of Ronquières in november 1986. Q. “would at least some, potentially crucial, information withheld,” says the public prosecutor.
Read also Old others arrested in investigation of Gang of Nijvel, may have “crucial information” withheld Cell-Delta
V, today retired, was in the eighties, a long time member of the cell-Delta in Dendermonde, which was then under the leadership of magistrate Freddy Troch, the investigation led to the Gang of Nijvel. He was in november 1986 on the basis of an important wapenvondst in the Brussels-Charleroi canal in Ronquières. There were a bullet-proof vest, a gun that a police officer was stolen, and ammunition found. A year earlier, had a quest in the same turning basin yielded nothing.
V. has always claimed that the search was made by classic police work, but later found out from research that that objects only a few months before the discovery in november 1986 in the channel dumped could be. The federal public prosecutor’s office shall, since last year, even the bags of “no longer than 24 or 48 hours” in the water layers.
this strengthened the suspicion of the investigating judge and the speurdersploeg that there is manipulation in the game. May got V. a tip from an informant that may know more about the Gang of Nivelles, and which for many years hid. Investigators now want to know who the informant is. As possible, he or she may be the investigation of the Gang forward.
“does not Mean that he research has manipulated”
The lawyer of Philippe V., Walter Damen, relativizes the arrest, and says that V. probably about a few days re-released will be. According to him, there was also no countermeasures.
“The arrest does not mean that he is indeed the research has been manipulated,” says master Damen. “It is doing a number of things to watch, and I expect that they are very fast results. I hope that the aanhoudingsmandaat can be stopped. The 48 hours were too short to check.”
The suspect appears likely to Tuesday for the court, which will decide on his further detention.
