7 men found guilty of what was the longest kidnapping in Belgian judicial history have been sentenced by the Criminal Court in the Limburg town of Tongeren. The 7 were involved in the kidnapping of a then 13-year-old boy. The boy was taken from his parents’ home in Genk Limburg Province and only released after 42 days when his parents paid an ransom.
Stiff sentences for those involved in the longest kidnapping in Belgian legal history
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Although their lawyers had requested lighter sentences, the kidnappers were given prison sentences of between 15 and 29 years. An 8th suspect that had provided the kidnappers with the house in which the boy was held was acquitted as it could not be proven with certainty that he was actually involved in the kidnapping.
At the trial of those involved in the longest abduction ever in Belgian legal history the Tongeren Tongeren public prosecutor's office had demanded sentences of between 30 years and life. 7 men were on trial the abduction of a minor in Genk (Limburg province) 5 years ago. They held the minor for 42 days. After they received a ransom from the parents of the boy that they released him. The father of the kidnapped boy was known to have been involved in the trade in illegal drugs.
Long prison sentences
3 of those that stood trial were sentenced to 29 years imprisonment. The other defendants received prison sentences of 15, 20 or 25 years.
The sentence of 29 years imprisonment is interesting as in Belgium anyone sentenced to 30 years can only apply for early release after having served 15 years. Those given sentences of less than 30 years can apply for early release once they have served one third of their sentence.
Bogus police officers
The boy was abducted from his parents' home in Genk in 2020 by men that were armed, masked and were posing as police officers. He was then held at several properties until his family paid a ransom to the kidnappers. The boy spent 6 weeks in captivity. During searches of the kidnappers’ homes, the police found items including firearms, money, balaclavas and ammunition.
3 of the 7 men (all brothers) convicted for kidnapping the boy were also found guilty of taking a man hostage years ago and torturing him in a cellar in Antwerp.