The Saba murder: Arrest of 14-year-old girl can be decided by HD
Quick Look
- The Attorney General wants the Supreme Court to examine whether a 14-year-old girl, suspected of aiding and abetting the murder of youth leader Saba Abraham, can be detained.
- The prosecutor believes that there is no alternative to detention in the initial stage of the investigation because the youth center cannot guarantee that she will not contact the outside world.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The age of criminal responsibility was lowered in September, and since then several 14-year-olds have been detained on suspicion of serious crimes. The Court of Appeal has previously refused to lift the detention of the girl, who has now appealed to the Supreme Court.
The girl was arrested at the end of October on suspicion of aiding and abetting one of the year's most high-profile gang murders – the shooting death of Saba Abraham. The 24-year-old youth leader was shot inside a sports hall in southern Stockholm while children practiced spontaneous sports on the premises.
The Court of Appeal has refused to lift the detention of the girl, who has now appealed to the Supreme Court.
Since the legal age was lowered in September, several 14-year-olds have been detained on suspicion of serious crimes. The girl and her lawyer want HD to examine when there are grounds for detention and when the children can instead be placed in, for example, youth homes.
Now the Attorney General also wants HD to take up the case. The Attorney General believes that guidance is needed on in which cases detention can be replaced by another form of surveillance when the suspect risks influencing the investigation.
The Attorney General writes to HD that the suspicion relates to involvement in an execution-like murder with a connection to gang crime. The police will have to question people close to the girl and it is described as "completely central" that the 14-year-old cannot contact relatives or those involved in the shooting.
- Placement in a youth home or care in another form of care cannot guarantee that the person does not make contact with the outside world in such a way that it damages an ongoing preliminary investigation, says Deputy Attorney General Eva Thunegård in a statement.
Youth homes now have the authority to restrict, for example, telephone use for placed children. However, a prosecutor cannot issue restrictions to a criminal suspect during the placement period.
Therefore, according to the National Prosecutor, there are no alternatives to detention in the initial stage of the investigation.
"This applies even if the person deprived of their liberty is 14 years old."
The Supreme Court has not yet given leave to appeal in the case.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The Supreme Court will issue leave to appeal in the case of the detention of the 14-year-old.
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Will the Supreme Court grant leave to appeal the case?
- What alternative forms of supervision could replace detention for children?
- What is the exact suspicion against the 14-year-old girl?
