Minor Attackers on Luka Ritz Held in Custody

The judge for minors ordered that four minors, who are suspected of beating up Luka Ritz, be held in custody for 24 hours.

At the proposal of the Zagreb County State Attorney’s Office, the judge for minors ordered that four minors be held in custody for 24 hours, on Wednesday afternoon. They are suspected of participating in the fight after which the graduate Luka Ritz died, according to the State Attorney’s Office.

In that period the prosecution needs to seek a so called temporary procedure, that is equivalent to a court investigation in proceedings for adults or abort from criminal processing.

According to the words of the State Attorney’s Office spokesperson Martina Mihordin, the County State Attorney’s office from Zagreb will file the correct request during the next 24 hours and publish a report about it.

Interrogation for numerous hours

The decision on holding the boys in custody was made by the judge for minors of the County Criminal Court, after the four boys were interrogated for a number of hours. Two of them are being charged for the serious bodily harm which resulted in the death of the 19 year old Ritz ten days after being brutally attacked at night, at the start of June on Zagreb’s “Most Slobode” bridge.

Considering that a procedure with minors is in question, which according to the law is secret, there was no information from the court saying if they defended themselves with silence or if they presented a defence. The police earlier claimed that the arrested boys admitted the crime and showed remorse for its consequences.

The fifth boy that was arrested, the only one over the age of 18, who is also suspected of participating in the fatal attack on Luka Ritz and his friend, has also been placed in custody.

However, he was questioned by the investigating judge of the Zagreb County Court, before which the youngster presented his defence and held his stance to what he told the police.