PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic– The essential witness in the springtime break loss of Sudiksha Konanki, Joshua Riibe, apparently left the Dominican Republic on Wednesday aboard a jetliner out of Santo Domingo.
Two resources verified to Fox News that Riibe boarded a JetBlue trip from AILA airport terminal in Santo Domingo to San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“On March 18th, following the conclusion of the habeas corpus hearing that ordered the release of our client, Joshua Riib, the Prosecutor’s Office of La Altagracia informed him of their readiness to return his passport,” Riibe’s lawyers claimed. “While Joshua appreciated this decision, he chose, for privacy reasons, to apply for a new passport at the U.S. Consulate, which was promptly issued. We are pleased to announce that Joshua and his father are currently traveling back to their home in the United States.”
Riibe, 22, is thought to be among the last individuals that saw Konanki, 20, prior to she disappeared in the morning hours of March 6 from the coastline behind their hotel, the Riu Republica in Punta Cana.
DOMINICAN COURT REGULATIONS HOTEL RESIDENCE APPREHENSION IS UNLAWFUL FOR IOWA PUPIL IN MISSING SPRINGTIME BREAK SITUATION
Joshua Riibe comes to a Dominican Republic court house together with his papa, Albert Riibe, on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Riibe is a crucial witness in the loss of Sudiksha Konanki, an American university student that went missing out on while swimming on a Punta Cana coastline on March 6. (Fox News Digital)
This comes a day after a Dominican Republic court regulationed in support of Riibe’s writ of habeas corpus, providing him the capacity to relocate openly within the nation till one more hearing on March 28.
Riide’s legal representatives, Micenis Beatriz Santana and Helen Alexandra Peralta, were seen at the court house in Higuey, Dominican Republic, on Wednesday mid-day. Micenis verified with Fox News that they have actually not sent the brand-new choice to recoup Riibe’s ticket and cellular phone, asserting her group missed out on a couple of files and stamps required to send.
Micenis additionally verified Riibe was still in the Dominican Republic, and his buddy, whose ticket was additionally taken and gone back to him Tuesday, was set up to leave the nation from Punta Cana.
MISSING OUT ON AMERICAN UNIVERSITY STUDENT SEEN IN NEW RESORT PROTECTION VIDEO PRIOR TO LOSS
Joshua Riibe comes to a Dominican Republic court house together with his papa, Albert Riibe, on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Riibe is a crucial witness in the loss of Sudiksha Konanki, an American university student that went missing out on while swimming on a Punta Cana coastline on March 6. (Fox News Digital)
Riibe’s lawyers effectively said in court Tuesday that, as a witness, not a suspect, cops control over his motions over an 11-day period was illegal.
Riibe had actually been burrowed in the Riu Republica under stringent cops checking for 11 days prior to a court ruled the scenario breached Dominican legislation. His limitations additionally consisted of having his cellular phone and ticket taken.
“Ever since my passport was taken, it’s very rare I’m alone,” Riibe affirmed prior to a Dominican court Tuesday He later on included, “I can’t go anywhere. I really want to be home. Hug my family and friends.”
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY STUDENT VANISHES IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: TIMELINE
Surveillance video clip reveals he and Konanki mosted likely to the coastline with a team around 4:15 a.m. on March 6, the early morning she disappeared. Most of them were seen leaving around 6 a.m. Riibe and Konanki continued to be on the coastline. Riibe returned by himself hours later on, and Konanki’s location stay unidentified virtually 2 weeks later on.
Joshua Riibe shows up in a Dominican Republic court room on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Riibe is a crucial witness in the loss of Sudiksha Konanki, an American university student that went missing out on while swimming on a Punta Cana coastline on March 6. (Greg Wehner/Fox News Digital)
According to a dripped records of a meeting with cops, Riibe informed detectives he and Konanki were both retreated from the coast by a solid existing, and they had a hard time to make it back. He last saw her strolling in knee-deep water prior to he threw up and slept on a coastline chair.
Her moms and dads, in a letter to Dominican authorities, requested her to be proclaimed dead Monday, pointing out the absence of proof of bad deed and Riibe’s proceeded collaboration with detectives.
VISIT THIS SITE TO OBTAIN THE INFORMATION APPLICATION
Riibe, for his component, accepted numerous cops meetings however revealed aggravation at a hearing Tuesday concerning his arrest to the hotel, where he was checked by cops all the time for greater than a week regardless of a Dominican legislation that states an individual can be restricted for an optimum of two days without being billed with a criminal offense.
