A verdict has been reached in the murder trial of a disabled teenage boy from Liège, with jury members set to pronounce it on Thursday, after two days of deliberations.
The verdict is expected to be read in a public hearing in Liège's Palais de Justice on Thursday afternoon.
It concerns a group of five friends, aged 18 to 23, who face several charges after they kidnapped and cruelly tortured 18-year-old Valentin Vermeesch for hours, before throwing him into the La Meuse river while he was still alive but tied-up.
While the public prosecutor had requested that all five of the accused be charged for the murder of Vermeesch, Alexandre Hart, 21, — who medical examiners have said fits the psychological profile of a psychopath— was the only one out of the group who admitted to throwing his victim into the river.
Belinda Donnay, 22, Dorian Daniels, 22, Loick Masson, 23, and Killian Wilmet, 18 admitted to participating in the torture but demanded to be acquitted of murder.
On Tuesday, the five defendants addressed the court and expressed regret over their “unforgivable” actions.
The verdict is set to be delivered at around 16:00 on Thursday.
Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times
