The judge grants the release of the student of Minnesota College of custody in the Dominican Republic

Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic (KFGO/CBS) – A judge of the Dominican Republic ruled on Tuesday a student of Minnesota College, who is supposed to be the last person to see alive Pitt Pitt Pitt Sudiksha Konanki student, should be released from police surveillance.

However, the return of Joshua Riibe, 22, to the United States, is not clear since there was no immediate decision about returning his passport, which the authorities confiscated last week.

Riibe’s hearing in the city of Higüey of the Dominican Republic was related to his request for habeas corpus last week, in which he asked the court to grant freedom and said that prosecutors, police and the hotel where he stayed violated his rights, partly by restricting his movements without charges filed against him, according to documents of the Court. He argued to the judge who was inappropriately arrested and challenged the treatment of the authorities towards him from Konanki’s disappearance.

“I really want to go home and see my family,” Riibe said. “I understand that I am here to help, but it has been 10 days.”

Riibe said in court that he was “detained for the first time on Saturday” and believed he was going home that day. “

His parents also stated that Riibe was arrested “in irregular conditions” and questioned without official translators or legal advisor until March 12.

Riibe, who attends the State University of St. Cloud and is from Iowa, was seen in a surveillance video with Konanki, 20, along with three of his friends and another man outside the Hotel Riu Republic, walking to the beach on March 6. In the footage, Konanki and Riibe are seen walking with each other.

The video shows the other four people who then return to the hotel, but Konanki and Riibe stayed on the beach, a police source said. The last sighting of Konanki and Riibe in the water occurred around 4:50 am, according to the Loudon County Sheriff, Mike Chapman, whose office in Virginia is involved in the investigation.

Riibe told police that he and Konanki were dragged into the ocean by a great wave and both fought against the agitated seas. He said he believed that Konanki came out of the water, but was not sure, according to a person with direct knowledge of Riibe’s statements to US researchers.

The attorney general of the Dominican Republic said the investigators were exploring whether Konanki drowned but still did not rule out the possibility of dirty game.

Riibe has not been considered suspicious in Konanki’s disappearance and has not been accused of irregularities. He has been in Punta Cana to interrogate since the investigation began almost two weeks ago. The authorities confiscated their passport and has been confined to a hotel with police escorts anywhere where it goes, according to the law firm that represents it, Guzmán Ariza.

At the judicial hearing, lawyers who represent the government argued that Riibe is not detained, but said he was interviewed as a “witness” and that “he has never been accused.” Riibe’s defense lawyer, however, said that the university student “has been restricted in his movement and his freedom” since last week.

Riibe’s defense lawyer said he is a “victim” and argued that prosecutors asked him the same question several times with the hope that he would stumble upon his answer.

During his testimony, Riibe told his exchange with Konanki’s mother, who hugged and thanked him for saving his daughter the first time.

“I have done what I can, but at this time there is not much I can do,” Riibe said. “I am waiting to go home and return to my life.”

Riibe and his parents, Tina and Albert Riibe, extended “deep pain and solidarity” with Konanski’s family in a statement published through their lawyer.

Since then, Konanki’s family has asked the authorities for her daughter to be declared dead.