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Memorial to Simone Strobel, who was killed in Australia, in Lismore
Photo: IMAGO/JASON O BRIEN / IMAGO/AAP
He is said to have killed a German in Australia 17 years ago: The suspect in the Simone Strobel case has now been released on bail.
A court in Sydney decided on Thursday to grant the application for the release of the 42-year-old German, as the dpa news agency learned from court circles.
Also Australian media about it.
At first it was said that the public prosecutor wanted to take action against the decision.
The Australian news agency AAP later reported that the prosecutor's office accepts them.
The accused is the ex-boyfriend of the educator Simone Strobel.
He can now return to his family in Western Australia, subject to conditions.
This includes, among other things, that the accused must report to a police station three times a week and surrender his passport, according to the court order.
He is also not allowed to use encrypted communication services such as WhatsApp or Viber.
The next court hearing is scheduled for late September.
Case unsolved since 2005
Strobel's ex-boyfriend, who is married to an Australian and took her name, was taken from his home in Perth, Western Australia, a week ago.
He was flown to Sydney where he was charged with murder.
On Wednesday, the prosecution and defense presented their arguments and counterarguments to the request for the suspect's provisional release.
The court then adjourned the bail decision to Thursday.
The arrest was a surprising twist in a case that has remained unsolved since 2005 despite extensive investigations.
A look back: The 25-year-old educator Simone Strobel from Lower Franconia was traveling with her then 24-year-old boyfriend in a mobile home in Australia.
Later, the friend's sister and her friend from Germany joined them.
The four were at a campsite in Lismore, north of Sydney, when Strobel suddenly disappeared.
Her boyfriend reported her missing at the time.
A few days later, her body was found under palm fronds near the campsite.
Judge criticizes evidence
Her ex-boyfriend has always maintained his innocence but has been a prime suspect over the years.
However, Downing Local Court Judge Margaret Quinn on Thursday accused the prosecution of having presented little evidence to support their allegations.
There is much to suggest that Strobel and her then-boyfriend argued and drank alcohol shortly before the murder - "but in this case there does not seem to be any direct or indirect evidence linking him to the crime," said the judge.
"This isn't the strongest circumstantial case I've seen."
Defense attorney Tim Game had previously stressed that his client had only recently provided his DNA and that there was nothing to indicate that it would incriminate him.
bbr/dpa