Following the reports of well-known Brussels nightlife figure Carl De Moncharline drugging and raping several minors, the Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office is launching an investigation into the claims made by victims and witnesses.
RTBF's Investigations programme exposed the famous club owner, with several victims coming forward and providing testimonies of his abuse during his time as owner of The Wood club in Bois de la Cambre.
The Office will be collecting material evidence, such as biological traces and images from surveillance cameras, and identifying and questioning as many witnesses as possible to build a convincing case and present the suspect with this evidence, it said in a press release on Thursday.
Stating that the Office takes every complaint related to sexual offences very seriously, it said that “given the specific nature of these cases and for anyone who considers themselves victims to be able to assert his or her rights, the office conducts parquet a thorough and meticulous investigation.”
In the courts, not the media
At the same time, the public prosecutor wants to point out that everyone enjoys the presumption of innocence. “It is important that everything is done in a calm manner for the investigation to run smoothly context takes place.”
In this regard, the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office points out that the judicial debate should be conducted in the courts, and not in the media.
“Since it concerns sexual offences, the public prosecutor's office in Brussels will not
communicate about a particular file, taking into account the principles of the presumption of innocence and the secrecy of the criminal investigation.”
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Survivors support
The Public Prosecutor’s Office has been working closely with the Sexual Violence Care Centre (ZSG) since 2017 to collect evidence and improve the reception of victims of sexual offences. In this specialised centre, various professionals from the sector, such as police, nurses, and doctors, have been brought together to help victims of sexual assault.
At the same time, it has extended and strengthened its cooperation with victim-assistance centres to improve the reception of victims.
The Office added that “it should not be forgotten that the burden of proof, according to the Code of Criminal Procedure, rests with the Public Prosecutor’s Office,” meaning that it does not prosecute unless enough objective evidence has been collected to charge De Moncharline with concrete offences.
