Du Plantier: aunt pleads for change in law

THE aunt of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, Marie Madelaine Opalka, said it appeared that Irish women are treated as second-class citizens and called for a change in law, claiming that the DPP has substituted itself for the judge and jury.

Ms du Plantier, a 39-year-old film executive, was murdered outside her holiday home near Schull, West Cork, on December 23, 1996.

Despite a massive garda investigation nobody has ever been charged with her killing.

“Here today we feel like Easter lambs,” Ms Opalka, said.

“In the beginning we were completely confident in the police of Ireland, because we saw them do so much work on the case, however, after 10 years how can we be quiet like lambs still? Perhaps I am wrong but it seems to me that when you have a suspect you must put your evidence to a jury and let them decide, or what do you have a jury for?”

She added that Sophie’s family wanted to take the opportunity to underline their great dissatisfaction towards the Anglo-Saxon legal system as it is implemented in Ireland.

“This system prevents us from having access to the files of the inquiry. We urge the legislators of Ireland to alter the existing criminal law in order to give families of murder victims better access to all legal documents available during the inquiry,” Ms Opalka said.

She pointed out that while all the young women who had been victims of murders had now found peace, their grieving families can never find peace until justice is done.

“We remain hopeful that one day God will give to all of us the strength to find our own ways to heal, Ms Opalka said.