Mother and daughter receive conditional prison sentences for lying in fatal Sittard shooting case
A mother and daughter from Limburg have been sentenced to four months' conditional imprisonment for perjury in the investigation of a 2017 fatal shooting at Tropicana lounge bar. Their false testimony hindered justice for the victim and his family, undermining the legal process.
| Key Data | Details |
|---|---|
| Defendants | 49-year-old woman (Sittard-Geleen) and her 29-year-old daughter (Born) |
| Sentence | 4 months conditional imprisonment with 2-year probation |
| Charge | Perjury (deliberate false testimony under oath) |
| Case | Investigation into fatal shooting at Tropicana lounge bar (April 15, 2017) |
| Victim | 26-year-old man, shot dead in the toilet |
| Perpetrator’s Sentence | 12 years in prison (2018) |
| False Testimony | Claimed bar was closed and empty on night of the murder |
| Court Location | Limburg District Court |
| Prosecution Decision | Delayed to avoid interfering with original murder trial |
The Limburg District Court is responsible for adjudicating criminal cases within its jurisdiction, ensuring justice is served in accordance with Dutch law. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) plays a critical role in investigating crimes, bringing charges, and upholding the integrity of legal proceedings, particularly in cases involving perjury that obstruct justice.
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Conditional prison sentences for mother and daughter for perjury in investigation into fatal shooting at Tropicana lounge bar in Sittard
The Limburg District Court this week sentenced a 49-year-old woman from Sittard-Geleen and her 29-year-old daughter from Born to four months’ conditional imprisonment with a two-year probation period. The Limburg Public Prosecution Service (OM) had previously accused the pair this month of perjury. According to the OM, the two women deliberately lied during the investigation into the fatal shooting at the Tropicana lounge bar in Sittard. In the incident, which took place in April 2017, a 26-year-old man was killed. He was shot dead in the toilet. The perpetrator was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2018.
Contrary to the truth, the women testified under oath before the examining magistrate in Roermond that their Tropicana lounge bar had been closed on the night of the murder (April 15, 2017) and that no one was inside. The public prosecutor explained during the hearing on March 10 that the police had tried to clarify what had happened and that these suspects could potentially provide clarity.
“To this day, they continue to insist on their version. By deliberately lying, they have fundamentally obstructed the investigation and actively hindered it,” the prosecutor stated.
Verdict
In the verdict, the court states that it holds the suspects accountable for deliberately making false statements as witnesses in a criminal case where the interests for both the convicted and the victim’s relatives were exceptionally high. Taking an oath or making a promise is necessary to ensure the reliability of a statement. By deliberately lying to judges, the suspects not only seriously undermined this guarantee but also undermined the pursuit of truth in our legal system. As a result, individuals may be wrongly convicted and receive a criminal record, or conversely, be wrongly acquitted and thus evade justice.
Final
The shooting took place nine years ago. The Public Prosecution Service’s decision to prosecute the two women only after the case had become final was a deliberate choice. The decision was made not to “contaminate” the ongoing criminal trial in this murder case with a perjury procedure.