The court of the canton of Friborg (north-west) has issued the verdict against the accused, who before the crime had cheated his victims with large sums of money, reports the online version of the newspaper Tribune de Genève.
During his argument, the defense requested a sentence of nine years imprisonment with use
that his client acted in a legitimate defense, but the defendant’s own testimony eliminated that possibility in the eyes of the judges, according to the local press.
Life imprisonment, the maximum penalty in the Swiss Penal Code, was reintroduced in 2004 when it was approved in a referendum following several cases of murderers and rapists reoffending after their release, causing widespread concern in Swiss society.
It can be applied to crimes such as murder, rape, hostage-taking or genocide, although the convicted person has the right to apply for parole at age 15, which can be granted through judicial review.
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