Croatian couple arrested in Germany over suspected brutal murder in Slovenia
Slovenia issued European arrest warrants and seeks extradition; court in Nordhorn ordered pre-trial detention.
A man and a woman holding Croatian citizenship were detained by German police after being identified on European arrest warrants issued over a violent death in Slovenia.
The suspects — a 31-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman — were stopped on Friday evening near Germany’s border with the Netherlands, where officers established they were wanted under European arrest orders and placed them in custody.
Extradition proceedings started in Germany
Slovenian authorities accuse the two of having “tortured, beaten and strangled” the victim, who subsequently died; they are also suspected of causing grievous bodily harm. Ljubljana has requested their handover to face prosecution.
After their arrest the pair were held in police detention and then brought before the court in Nordhorn, which remanded them in pre-trial detention. The public prosecutor’s office in Oldenburg is handling the surrender procedure to Slovenian authorities.
German police also discovered additional infringements during their checks: the vehicle they were travelling in bore licence plates that did not belong to it, and the 31-year-old man did not hold a valid driving licence. The car was seized and separate proceedings have been opened over those offences.
Photo: EPA-EFE/ANNA SZILAGYI
