NUUK
The circuit court decided on Thursday that a young man must continue to be detained in the case where a 20-year-old lost his life in the Nuuk district of Nuussuaq on Wednesday.
Thursday afternoon was a 21-year-old man produced in a constitutional hearing in the Sermersooq District Court.
He was initially charged with killing a 20-year-old man in Nuussuaq. However, according to the police, the charge was changed from murder to violence resulting in death – and he must continue to be detained, the court decided. It initially applies for 28 days and can later be extended.
According to the prosecutor’s explanation, the 21-year-old man stabbed the other man with a knife in a parking area by the road, which is also called Nuussuaq. It allegedly happened on Wednesday 21 October at around 4.45 pm. The 21-year-old was arrested shortly after.
The defense attorney announced during the hearing that his client pleads not guilty to manslaughter. The accused is still considering whether he will plead guilty to violence resulting in death.
The key difference between manslaughter and violence resulting in death is whether the perpetrator intended to kill. The latter is handled relatively milder.
Shortly into the hearing, the court chose to close the doors to the audience. It happened at the request of the prosecutor and the defense. Therefore, Sermitsiaq has not attended the 21-year-old man’s own explanation in the case.
The judge justified the closure by saying that the investigation is still at an early stage and could potentially be affected by public publicity.
Note: On Thursday, it was not possible to obtain information on the outcome of the hearing, and therefore the article will only be published on Friday. Head of duty at the Greenland Police Lars Even has informed Sermitsiaq on Friday morning that the charge against the 21-year-old has been changed from murder to violence resulting in death.
