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Suspects go on trial for killing Dutch crime reporter

A 22-year-old Dutchman and a 36-year-old Polish national face charges of murder and illegal possession of firearms
A 22-year-old Dutchman and a 36-year-old Polish national face charges of murder and illegal possession of firearms

The trial of the suspected gunman and the getaway driver involved in last year's killing of Dutch crime reporter Peter R De Vries has opened with the two men facing life imprisonment if convicted.

Mr De Vries was shot dead last July on a busy Amsterdam street.

The killing prompted an outpouring of grief and anger across the Netherlands and raised concerns about the ability of the criminal underworld to eliminate a prominent public figure who was considered a threat.

Mr De Vries, 64, was a popular TV personality, known for his programmes in which he often worked with victims' families and tirelessly pursued unsolved cases.

He had received threats in the past, but had refused security.

Peter R de Vries had received threats in the past, but refused security

Prosecutors outlining their case today said a 22-year-old Dutchman and a 36-year-old Polish national faced charges of murder and illegal possession of firearms.

The pair were arrested within hours of the shooting on a Dutch highway in the alleged getaway vehicle.

Police said the weapon allegedly used to kill Mr De Vries was found in the car.

The Dutch suspect, Delano Geerman, told judges he did not want to comment on the accusations.

The second suspect, identified as Kamil Egiert, told the court he was not responsible for the murder.

"My role in everything was only that of driver, I knew nothing about the murder and I did not murder anybody," he told judges.

The trial deals only with the men who carried out the killing, while an investigation into who ordered it is continuing, prosecutors said.