Accused women reject fines after fire in monkey house

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Burned monkey house in Krefeld Zoo (archive image)

The devastating fire of the monkey house in Krefeld Zoo at the turn of the year is expected to be tried in court: The three accused appealed to penal orders for negligent arson. The Krefeld public prosecutor announced. Therefore, the case must now be clarified in a court hearing.

According to the report, the women are accused of raising sky lanterns on New Year's Eve. One of them is said to have triggered the fire in the monkey house of the Krefeld Zoo. More than 30 animals, including eight great apes, died in the fire. A seriously injured gorilla had to be shot by a police officer and the monkey house, which had been completely destroyed, was torn down.

According to the public prosecutor's office, orders against the women had already been applied for at the Krefeld District Court in July. However, all three accused had rejected the penalty orders within the prescribed period - which, according to the public prosecutor, would have been associated with heavy fines. As a result, a main hearing must be scheduled in front of the court in accordance with the Code of Criminal Procedure.

In the case of a penalty order, the competent local court determines a penalty at the request of the public prosecutor's office, without there being a hearing. A penalty order can only impose fines and imprisonment sentences of up to one year on probation.

Press conference discarded

According to their own statements, the Krefeld public prosecutor's office has now rejected a press conference that had actually been planned on the results of the investigation next week. The taking of evidence in court should not be anticipated.

A spokesman for the public prosecutor's office commented on one point: According to the investigation, everything was in order in terms of building law at the monkey house. Specifically, it was about plastic panes that were installed after a storm a few years ago. The question arose as to whether these disks were perhaps used illegally - and could have accelerated the fire.

In the meantime, a new "Affenpark Species Conservation Center" is planned in Krefeld, for which the zoo is to be enlarged by an area of ​​4,000 square meters. The gorilla facility next to the monkey house has been open again for some time. Two chimpanzees who survived the fire and injured live in the area.

cop / dpa / AFP