In Belgium, the suspect in the infamous 'castle murder' 5 years ago, has confessed. He confessed that he hired 3 hitmen to take out the castle owner, his son in law.
Belgian public opinion is split. A lot of Belgians think the man deserves no punishment for the murder.
Three months before the deadly incident, in which the castle owner was shot, and his castle burned with the body inside, the man's father in law, a respected village doctor, had reported his son in law to the authorities for alleged sexual abuse of his children (the doctor's grandchildren). However, his son in law had friends within the justice department that protected him, and the accusations went unheard.
According to the man's defense lawyers, this left the grandfather with no choice. When he heard that his son in law was planning to move to Australia, he feared so much for the safety of his grandchildren, that he contacted an old friend, well known in the criminal circuit, and asked him to contact a squad of 3 hitmen. According to his lawyers, this was the only option left to him, since the justice department would not investigate the matter. "The wellbeing of his grandchildren was the only thing he could think of", according to the lawyers.
Accusations of covering up pedophilia by the justice department are still a very sensitive subject in Belgium, even 21 years after the Dutroux affair.
The defendant has a huge following of supporters, who believe the man should not be punished for the murder, but instead, a statue should be built in his honour.