Joshua Riibe: Man seen with the missing student of the University of Pittsburgh Sudiksha Konanki appeared before Judge in the Dominican Republic

Joshua Riibe, Minnesota College student who was with Student of the University of Pittsburgh Sudiksha Konanki The night She disappeared on a spring vacation trip to the Dominican RepublicHe said in court that he is “ready to go home and return to my life.”

The 22 -year -old Iowa native, who has not been accused of a crime, said that Konanki’s family hugged him and thanked him.

“His mother gave me a hug and said: ‘Thank you for saving my daughter the first time,” Riibe said in court on Tuesday. “It was really difficult.”

The appearance in the court of Riibe was for a habeas corpus hearing that his lawyers requested, who believe that the 22 -year -old is being illegally arrested.

The prosecutors said in the Court that Riibe is a witness and is not arrested.

The authorities have Confiscated Riibe’s passportAnd Riibe said in court that the police have followed me to meals and saw him eat. Riibe’s lawyers asked to return their passport and get the ability to leave the hotel without surveillance.

“I can’t go anywhere. And I really want to be able to go home, talk to my family, give them hugs, tell them that I miss them,” Riibe said. “I understand that I am here to help, but they have spent 10 days and I can’t leave.”

Riibe’s father traveled to the Dominican Republic to support him.

“I’m just doing what I can, and at this point there is nothing more than I can do,” Riibe said during his appearance in court.

At the end of Riibe’s appearance, the judge granted habeas corpus, which means that Riibe will no longer be under police surveillance. However, officials of the Dominican Republic are not yet returning their passport.

Riibe’s lawyer issued a statement by saying: “Guzmán Ariza expresses his deep gratitude to the Dominican Judiciary and all the institutions involved in the case of Joshua Steven Riibe for recognizing and maintaining the rule of law and guaranteeing respect for their fundamental rights as a
Foreign citizen in the Dominican Republic. “

The judge is expected to decide whether he will be accused of something or can leave the country on March 28.

The authorities have said that they believe that Konanki, 20, died drowning in Punta Cana at the beginning of March 6, authorities told ABC News. His case of missing persons is being treated as an accident, sources said.

Riibe, who met Konanki that night, told prosecutors that the two went to swim and kissed the ocean. He said they were then beaten by a wave and dragged into the ocean by the tide, according to a transcription provided to ABC News of two sources from the Dominican Republic.

Riibe said he held Konanki and tried to get them out of the water.

“I was trying to make sure that she could breathe all the time, that prevented me from breathing all the time and took a lot of water,” he said.

“When I finally touched the sand, put it in front of me. Then he got up to go looking for his things since the ocean had moved us,” Riibe told the prosecutor. “I wasn’t out of the water since I was until the knee. I was walking at an angle in the water.”

“The last time I saw her, I asked him if he was fine. I didn’t hear his answer because I began to vomit with all the water I had swallowed,” he said. “After vomiting, I looked around and I didn’t see anyone. I thought I had taken their things and left.”

Riibe said he passed out in a beach chair and woke up hours later and returned to his hotel room.

Konanki’s family sent a formal request to the Dominican police on Monday requesting that they declare their dead daughteraccording to two sources with knowledge of the investigation. The parents noticed that Riibe was cooperating with the investigation and recognized that there was no evidence of dirty game, the sources said.

On Tuesday, the Civil Defense of the Dominican Republic announced that it was reducing its search and rescue efforts.