The five fishermen involved in a murder investigation onboard the INGER KATRINE in the North Sea last January have had their remand extended. Photo: TVMIDVEST
Five men accused of murdering a crewman onboard a Danish-registered trawler in the North Sea at the end of January this year have been remanded in custody for another month.
The five are accused of murdering 41-year-old Alf Villum Jensen from Sdr. Bork, and have been in custody since 02 February 2023. On Wednesday this week, 16 August, the judge at Holstebro Court ordered that the men remain in custody as Danish Police confirmed this week that they are nearing the end of their investigation into the murder.
Police Commissioner, Theis Thylstryp, from the Central and West Jutland Police told Danish media that, “The investigation is progressing without me being able to get into it further. We are in the final phase.”
When the police investigation is finished, the public prosecutor’s office must decide whether charges should be brought against the five accused and what the charges should be before the case can go to court.
Alf Villum Jensen lost his life onboard the Hvide Sande fishing vessel INGER KATRINE, which was fishing off Thyborøn at some point in the days from Saturday 28 January to Monday 30 January. He had been kicked and strangled to death. The five other crew members all plead not guilty to murder.
The accused are a 41-year-old man from North Jutland, a 28-year-old man, a 30-year-old man and a 39-year-old man from Hvide Sande and a 28-year-old man from Tarm.
Their explanation for the death is unknown, as the case has been conducted behind closed doors at the court in Holstebro since the constitutional hearing, which took place on 02 February.
Earlier, several of the fishermen protested against the detention, but the district court’s ruling was subsequently upheld by the Western High Court.
At the hearing on Wednesday, the fishermen’s defence lawyer said the men have given up protesting against the continued imprisonment. According to the court in Holstebro, the five have voluntarily accepted to remain behind bars.
The police have told Danish news station Dagbladet that the investigation is nearing its end. Thus, it will not be long before a date is set for when the case can go to court and the final indictment presented.
The five men must be remanded in custody until 13 September.
