The trial of several men for their role in the murder of television crime reporter Peter R. de Vries resumed for a pro-forma hearing on Friday, following the replacement of one of the judges who has emigrated.

In total six men have now been charged in connection with killing De Vries, who was shot in July 2021 after leaving a television recording studio in the centre of Amsterdam. He died in hospital nine days later.

The case against the shooter Delano G and driver Kamil E had been virtually completed last summer and both men faced life sentences, but the case was reopened because of new evidence.

One of the three judges then moved abroad during the delay.

Judges ruled in November that a retrial needs to be held because of the change in the judges’ line-up. A case can only be continued in such a situation if the public prosecution department and defence agree.

Although the prosecution and Delano G’s lawyer did not want a retrial, Kamil E’s defence insisted on it.

In addition, the justice department decided to incorporate the four new suspects into the trial, including the Polish national, who is set to have provided the gun, car and weapons, and two men who filmed the aftermath of the shooting.

The case against the four new suspects – Krystian M, Konrad W, Gerower M and  Ericsson O – has not yet been completed and full hearings will not resume until the summer.