Swiss Convict’s Ex-Girlfriend Released From Custody

The ex-girlfriend of Tobias Kuster, a convict in Switzerland, was released from custody.

Tobias Kuster, a 23-year-old man currently serving five and half years in prison for violent crimes, did not return to the Pöschwies Prison Office from an unaccompanied parole on June 23, 2016. According to official court documents, the suspect was involved in the murder of a 43-year-old in the Seefeld area on June 30. At the time, the Zürich Canton Police offered a reward of 10,000 Swiss Francs for catching the criminal. However, on January 18, law enforcement authorities detained the convict in Bern after he tried to purchase a firearm from the dark net. Police arrested two other persons with Kuster, including the ex-girlfriend of the criminal. Law enforcement authorities claim that the two other suspects helped the convict in his escape. Now, the ex-girlfriend, who Kuster has a four-year-old daughter with, has been released from custody.

Corinne Bouvard, spokeswoman for the cantonal public prosecutor’s office, confirmed the release of the ex-girlfriend.

“There is currently no information available on the concrete grounds of the dismissal or the accusations against her,” Bouvard said when asked about the role of the ex-girlfriend in the case.

According to a source who was close to Kuster, the convict was still in touch and had a good connection with his ex-girlfriend after their relationship ended in early 2014. The source also spoke of an “unfortunate symbiosis” between the two persons.

What Kuster did not know when he tried to buy a weapon from the dark net, the website he used was under the surveillance of Swiss authorities. Unfortunately, due to the lack of information, it is unclear which website or vendor did the convict try to purchase a firearm from.

It still remains a question why authorities in the Pöschwies Prison Office issued an unaccompanied parole for the dangerous convict. According to the Swiss news outlet nzz.ch, Kuster was previously categorized as “not at all risky and retrogressive”. Authorities did not recognize the mistake they made even after the murder of the 43-year-old.

According to Adrian Kägi, the chief prosecutor, the accused confessed in connection with the Seefeld homicide after his arrest.

As in most of Europe, including Germany, Austria, and Sweden, the number of dark net cases had seen an increase in Switzerland too. Earlier this month, two Swiss citizens, a 20-year-old and a 28-year-old, were sentenced for using counterfeit euros they ordered from the dark web. According to official court information, the two men ordered ten 50 euro notes from the dark net on April 20, 2016. After they received the bills on May 17, they traveled to Weil Am Rhein, Germany with the purpose to use the fake notes. However, law enforcement authorities detained them after they tried to pay with one of the bills in a restaurant. Police found a plastic bag containing the remaining nine 50 euro bills in the underpants of the 28-year-old. After their arrest, both suspects confessed their crimes and showed full cooperation with authorities.

The juvenile court of justice sentenced the 28-year-old to six months of probation without a financial charge. The younger defendant has to pay 800 euros in fine.