On Thursday, 63-year old Hedwig Smets was sentenced to 22 years in prison by the Antwerp Criminal Court for the murder of his partner, 81-year old Bernard Van Mencxel. Prosecutors had requested a sentence of 24 years in prison, while the defense had argued for a sentence of 13 years. The former opera singer and diamond cutter was accused of strangling his partner during a political argument back in 2012. He then threw the body of the victim into a ditch in Zandhoven.
(Source: Belga)
