Selahaddin Tankisi guilty of murder of tailor Mehmet Özkaraman (Antwerp)
An Antwerp assize jury subsequently executed Selahaddin Tankisi (60) in the murder of Mehmet (54), whom he had killed three years ago with dozens of stab wounds in his tailor’s shop in Antwerp. The defense did not dispute the intent to kill, but the premeditation. The jury also found that proven.
Source: BELGA
On November 6, 2019, Selahaddin Tankisi was armed with a knife to the tailor’s shop on Brederodestraat. He had attacked the tailor and had inflicted 45 cuts and stab wounds on him. One of the stabs was given to the neck with full force. The victim’s body was so damaged that he had no chance of survival.
“The intention to kill was apparent from the choice of weapon, the intensity of the attack, the number of cuts and stab wounds and the short time span – seven minutes – in which the facts took place,” the jury said.
“Deserved Punishment”
The jury also found the premeditation proven. A month and a half before the fatal stabbing, a conflict had developed between Selahaddin and Mehmet, with mutual messages being sent. The cause had happened several times and girlfriends on October 26, 2019 something would happen “in the media”. Mehmet would receive his “deserved punishment” and “hell” would break loose. One of them was “too much” and Selahaddin also wrote that he had to save his “honour”.
On October 26, 2019, nothing happened. The facts acknowledged that on November 6, 2019, during a walk – about an hour before the actual facts – he decided to go to the tailor’s shop. He had a knife and was angry. A witness heard him say to the victim: “I’m going to destroy you”.
“So the predisposition that the only wild murder with the victim is implausible. At the latest an hour before the facts, he made the decision to kill Mehmet. This clearly shows the premeditation,” it sounded in the motivation.
Selahaddin was passed over to murder. Punishment will be determined on Friday. He risks life imprisonment.