The Brussels prosecutor's office is investigating possible sabotage, after a critical piece of evidence in the case against a member of the Flemish parliament went missing, presumed destroyed. Christian Van Eyken has the distinction of being the only member of the assembly to represent a French-speaking party, Union des Francophones (UF). He was formerly the mayor of Linkebeek, a commune in the Flemish periphery of Brussels with language facilities, where for years the municipal council has clashed with the Flemish government over their choice of mayor.
He is on trial, together with his former secretary, now his wife, Sylvia Boiglot for the murder of the woman’s husband, Marc Dellea, in Laeken in July 2014, killed with a single shot to the head. Boiglot revealed the couple were divorcing, and could not agree on the custody of their daughter.
It then emerged that she had been having an affair with Van Eyken, her boss and the cause of the divorce. His home in Zaventem was searched and in the end the two were charged with the murder.
Van Eyken strenuously denies any involvement in the killing, his lawyer said. His trial is due to start on Monday coming, but it has now been revealed revealed that a DVD containing important evidence showing the couple at the home of the victim at the time of the murder, had disappeared, and had in fact been destroyed.
“There has indeed been a judicial enquiry opened into computer sabotage and the destruction of material evidence of public interest,” said prosecutor Denis Goeman. “Nobody is currently under suspicion. The parties concerned have been provided with a copy of the DVD. Whether this will create problems for the trial which begins next week, we will see when proceedings open on Monday.”
Alan Hope
The Brussels Times
