TWO men accused of murdering a Dutch criminal linked to the Mocromafia, one of the most feared drug mafias operating in Spain, have been acquitted after a jury found them innocent of all charges.
Francisco B and Antonio V were found not guilty of killing Ebrahim Buzhu, who was found with a gunshot wound to the head in a lane in Pago del Humo in Chiclana (Cadiz) on January 15 2022.
Known as the ‘Butcher of Amsterdam,’ Buzhu was a drug trafficker who became a protected witness against leaders of the Dutch Mocromafia, which is known for its extreme violence, including the assassinations of witnesses, lawyers, and journalists.
In 2015, after testifying against Ridouan Taghi, one of the most powerful figures in the Dutch underworld, he fled to the Costa del Sol, fearing revenge.
The verdict came shortly after 6.30pm on Monday at the Provincial Court of Cadiz, following several hours of deliberation and five days of trial.
The jury concluded there was not enough evidence to prove that the defendants murdered Buzhu or that they conspired with others to plan his death.
They pointed to a lack of direct witnesses and the absence of any footage capturing the events.
There was also insufficient evidence to prove the defendants had burned the vehicle, allegedly used in the murder, to destroy evidence.
Furthermore, The jury dismissed the charge of illegal weapons possession, noting that the .22 calibre revolver, said to have been used in the killing, was never found.
After reading the verdict, the judge issued an oral acquittal. Police officers immediately removed the handcuffs from both men, who embraced their lawyers in court.
Both Francisco B. and Antonio V. had been behind bars since their arrest in June 2022. Their detention was extended in June 2024, meaning they remained in jail when they went to trial.
Prosecutors were seeking 28 years in prison for each defendant. The private prosecutions brought by the victim’s family also sought this.
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During the first session of the trial, the defence revealed that a third suspect, a Moroccan national with a criminal record, is currently in prison.
Investigators allegedly linked him to the crime after they found his DNA on cigarette butts and tissues near Buzhu’s body.
The defence requested that the judge provide this evidence to the jury so that they could consider it.
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