The trial for the shooting death of Miriam Ullens, a well-known Belgian art collector, begins, and the trial of stepson Nicolas Ullens

China News Service, Brussels, September 25 (Reporter Tokunaga Ken) Three and a half years after the incident, the trial of the shooting case of Miriam Ullens, a well-known Belgian art collector, began on the 24th. The stepson of the suspect Miriam Ullens, Nicolas Ullens, will be tried in court.

According to reports from Belgium's Dutch-speaking national radio and television and other media, the case officially opened that day at a circuit court outside Brussels, the capital of Belgium. The prosecutor read out the indictment, and the jury composed of 6 women and 6 men has been finalized.

According to reports, the trial will last about two weeks and is planned to hear the testimony of more than 100 witnesses and experts. Since Nicholas Ullens confessed to the shooting of Miriam Ullens, the focus of the trial will be whether his actions constitute intentional homicide or manslaughter.

Miriam Ullens was the wife of Belgian billionaire Guy Ullens during her lifetime. Nicolas Ullens was Guy Ullens' son from his previous marriage, that is, Miriam Ullens' stepson. In March 2023, Nicholas Ullens came to the home of the Ullens and his wife and shot Miriam Ullens several times, killing her. Guy Ullens survived.

Afterwards, Nicholas Ullens surrendered to the police, claiming that the murder was caused by "impulse". Belgian media quoted people familiar with the matter as saying that the case may involve a property dispute between the Ullens family. Nicola Ullens believed that the clothing brand and fashion company founded by Miriam Ullens were poorly managed and suffered heavy losses, causing the Ullens family's property to shrink significantly.

Guy Ullens is a well-known wealthy businessman in Belgium. He accumulated hundreds of millions of euros in property after taking over the family business in his early years. After he married Miriam Ullens in 1999, the couple became very active in the art collecting world. In 2007, the Ullens and his wife founded the Ullens Contemporary Art Center in Beijing's 798 Art District, which instantly became famous in China. In 2017, the two sold the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, which has been operating ever since after reorganization.

After the shooting in March 2023, it cast a heavy shadow on the image of the Ullens family. In April 2025, Guy Ullens passed away at the age of 90. (over)