Four of the five teenagers who were detained on suspicion of the “taxi murder” in Enköping have now been released.
This despite the fact that the suspicions against all of them remain.
– This is offensive and extremely unfortunate, says prosecutor Moa Blomqvist.
It was in March this year that a 26-year-old taxi driver was found hanged at a nature reserve in Enköping.
Five teenagers were then detained on probable cause on suspicion of murder. Now four of them are released, three of whom are brothers and the fourth a 15-year-old girl.
– In my opinion, this man has been murdered in a terrible way. It is offensive that those who are on probable grounds suspected of murder are allowed to go free pending prosecution, says prosecutor Moa Blomqvist.
“Now they can talk to each other”
Wednesday’s detention hearing came after the suspects were detained for three months – which is the time limit for criminal suspects under the age of 18.
As a result, four of the suspects, who are between 15 and 17 years old, were released, while an 18-year-old man was re-arrested.
– It is unfortunate that they are released solely because of their age. Now they have the opportunity to talk together about what has happened and that will make it incredibly difficult for us to investigate the murder, says Moa Blomqvist.
Moa Blomqvist does not want to comment on the young people’s previous relationship with the murdered man – but states that they have a “definite idea of what happened and why”.
– We believe that there are several reasons that worked together for the man to be murdered, but I cannot go into more detail about a possible motive.
When do you think charges will be filed?
– We are in a completely new situation after the release of these four people. This means that I can no longer answer the question of when a prosecution could be brought.
The family: Incredibly dissatisfied
The family of the murdered man states via the plaintiff’s attorney Ebru Tok that they are very dissatisfied with the district court’s decision.
“The family is incredibly unhappy that several of the suspects are already at large, even though the suspicions remain. They buried the son yesterday and today they received word that the arrests have ended,” writes Ebru Tok in an email to Aftonbladet and continues:
“The crime victim’s father believes that the decisions are tantamount to scandal and states that the young age of the suspects does not change the fact that their son was deprived of his life”.
FACT This applies to detention of minors
Since 2021, there is a time limit that applies to criminal suspects under the age of 18.
According to the law, minors may not be detained for longer than three months, unless there are special reasons.
In the case of the five young people who are suspected of the murder of the 26-year-old taxi driver, the district court believes that there are reasons for detention, but that there are no special reasons.
Which means that the 18-year-old suspect was re-arrested, while the minors were released at large.
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