Danish inventor denies abuse of corpse charge in submarine case

Pic Courtesy: Reuters

Copenhagen: Danish inventor Peter Madsen denies a new charge of abuse of a corpse, which police have put to the court investigating whether he killed Swedish reporter Kim Wall on board his submarine.

Police said on Wednesday, as they formally identified her headless torso, that the body had been weighted down with metal and an attempt had been made to remove gas and air from inside to keep it on the seabed.

On Friday, police halted the search for Wall`s remaining body parts in the waters between Denmark and Sweden, although divers were searching the harbour to which Madsen was brought after being rescued.

Officers declined to comment on why the search had been suspended, other than saying they were ready to begin it again when necessary.

Police have received 656 tip-offs in the case and urged the public to keep a look out, especially for the missing limbs and the clothes Wall was wearing - an orange shirt, black and white skirt and white shoes - when the submarine headed out.

"We also still want to hear from people who can make us more aware of the people involved and their behaviour," the police statement said.

Wall, who was researching a story on inventor Peter Madsen, went missing after he took her out to sea in his 17 metre submarine on August 10. 

Police charged Madsen with killing Wall, a charge carrying a sentence of between five years and life in prison, on August 11 when he was rescued after his submarine sank.

Madsen denies both the murder and abuse of a corpse charges, the police statement said. He and his lawyer says he buried her at sea after she died in an accident.

In its preliminary investigation, the court ordered Madsen detained until September 5, pending further inquires, on the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter.

Police will seek to extend the pre-trial custody when it is reviewed next month, again requesting he be held on the murder charge as they initially did, police spokesman Jakob Buch-Jepsen said on Thursday.

The submarine is one of three constructed by Madsen and one of the largest privately built ones in the world. It can carry eight people and weighs 40 tonnes when fully equipped. Police still do not know the cause of Wall`s death.