The West Flemish prosecutor’s office has confirmed that the second of two Russian lorry drivers suspected of the murder of a 56-year-old man in Zeebrugge (West Flanders) has been returned to Belgium by the judicial authorities in Poland. The 33-year-old will be questioned either today (Wednesday 17/09) or tomorrow (Thursday 18/09) by the examining magistrate in charge of the murder investigation.
After the murder of 56-year-old Herwin Alleman on the evening of Friday 22 August both suspects fled the country. They were eventually arrested 4 days later by police in Poland on a motorway around 80km east of Warsaw.
The Polish judicial authorities sent the first suspect, a 45-year-old, Russian back to Belgium last week. However, as the second suspect had appealed against being sent back to Belgium, the 33-year-old remained in Poland until yesterday (Tuesday 16/09).
He and three police officers travelled from Warsaw to Brussels aboard a scheduled flight.
Left for dead
On the evening of Friday 22 August, Herwin Alleman was beaten and kicked after an argument at a night shop in his home village of Zeebrugge. The suspects, two Russian lorry drivers, left him for dead and fled the country. Herwin Alleman died at the scene.
Five days later, the two suspects were arrested by the police in Poland. A Polish court ruled that both suspects could be returned to Belgium.