PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — Legal professionals for the Minnesota faculty scholar who was with College of Pittsburgh scholar Sudiksha Konanki the evening she went lacking in Punta Cana have requested a habeas corpus listening to, a supply from the Dominican Republic Ministry of Justice instructed ABC Information.
Joshua Riibe — who has not been charged with against the law — has been questioned by prosecutors over three days, an official near the investigation instructed ABC Information.
Riibe’s attorneys imagine he is being detained illegally and wish to forestall the 22-year-old from being positioned in custody, the supply stated. Authorities have confiscated Riibe’s passport and his attorneys stated he is being surveilled at his resort.
Within the Dominican Republic, individuals can problem an illegal detention via a habeas corpus listening to. Detained people are required to be introduced earlier than a decide inside 48 hours, or they should be both charged or launched.
RELATED: Man who final noticed lacking Pitt scholar Sudiksha Konanki thought she had ‘taken her issues and left’
A ruling on the habeas corpus listening to request can’t forestall an order of arrest by Dominican authorities, in response to Riibe’s lawyer and a supply from the Dominican Republic Ministry of Justice.
Authorities stated they imagine 20-year-old Konanki died by drowning, officers instructed ABC Information.
Her lacking individuals case is being handled as an accident, sources stated. Authorities stated Riibe is just not a suspect and is cooperating and being questioned as a witness.
Sources acquainted with the investigation say the lead prosecutor is analyzing doable contradictions in his story.
Officers are additionally reviewing new surveillance video captured the evening earlier than Konanki went lacking on March 6 from contained in the RIU resort nightclub, which reveals Konanki and Riibe showing to get sick.
Konanki was on spring break together with her buddies in Punta Cana when she went lacking within the early hours of March 6.
She was a part of a gaggle that went to a nightclub after which for a stroll on the seaside, officers concerned within the investigation instructed ABC Information.
Many of the group went again to the resort round 5:55 a.m. after their evening of ingesting.
RELATED: New particulars emerge after US faculty scholar goes lacking whereas on spring break in Dominican Republic
Riibe — who Konanki met that evening — stayed together with her on the seaside, in response to a Dominican Republic investigative police report.
Riibe instructed the prosecutor the 2 went swimming and kissed. He stated then they had been hit by a wave and pulled into the ocean by the tide, in response to a transcript supplied to ABC Information from two Dominican Republic sources.
Riibe stated he held Konanki and tried to get them out of the water.
“I used to be attempting to guarantee that she may breathe the complete time — that prevented me from respiration the complete time and I took in plenty of water,” he stated.
“Once I lastly touched the sand, I put her in entrance of me. Then she bought as much as go get her stuff because the ocean had moved us,” Riibe instructed the prosecutor. “She was not out of the water because it was as much as her knee. She was strolling at an angle within the water.”
“The final time I noticed her, I requested her if she was OK. I did not hear her response as a result of I started to vomit with all of the water I had swallowed,” he stated. “After vomiting, I seemed round and I did not see anybody. I assumed she had taken her issues and left.”
Riibe stated he handed out on a seaside chair and awoke hours later and returned to his resort room.
Police confirmed two photos present her swim coverup and sneakers that had been recovered on the seaside.
Resort cameras captured him returning to his room that morning.
Joshua Riibe, whom police recognized because the final identified individual believed to have seen Sudiksha Konanki, is just not being handled as a suspect.
He’s anticipated to face extra questioning on Monday.
The Riibe household issued a press release, saying partly, “We specific our deep sorrow and solidarity with the household of Sudiksha Konanski throughout this painful time. Above all, we want to contribute to the search efforts and perceive the anguish and uncertainty they’re going via and we share the hope that Sudiksha might be discovered as quickly as doable.”
ABC Information’ Ellie Kaufman contributed to this report.
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