Two years and three months after the publication of a video by Mathias Pogba on social networks, which led to public revelations of the kidnapping suffered by Paul, his little brother, on March 19, 2022, three “friends” of childhood and two former acquaintances of the 2018 world champion are on trial from November 26 to December 3 by the Paris criminal court.
Justice accuses them in particular of having organized a meeting in the Paris suburbs, in Montévrain (Seine-et-Marne) where they were all present, to force the player to help them financially, in the name of their old friendship. On this occasion, the former international was kidnapped and robbed by two armed men – unidentified to date – who demanded the sum of 13 million euros from him.
Ten years in prison
One of the main suspects, Roushdane K, the only one still in pre-trial detention and known to the courts, is said to have “erased evidence” useful for identifying the two mysterious armed men. Already sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison for two cases, including attempted murder in 2006, he is not close to Paul Pogba. Arrested in September 2022 while leaving for Tunisia, he is still in pre-trial detention.
According to the testimony of Paul Pogba before investigators on August 9, 2022, revealed by our colleagues from Monde he was present alongside the armed men and Adama C, another protagonist in the affair. The latter lives in Dubai and rented the apartment in the residential district of Montévrain where the events took place. The other three were asked to leave the premises.
There is his brother there, Machikour K, brother of Roushdane and close to the Pogba brothers. In 2019, he received the sum of €150,000 to open a restaurant with Adama C. Boubacar C, nicknamed Boub’s and Adama’s big brother, is a close friend that Paul Pogba hosted during his first visit to Turin in exchange for services rendered. Finally, Mamadou M, nicknamed Mam’s, is also very close and Paul’s handyman in Turin and then in Manchester. He is accused by the star of having stolen €200,000 from him. Which he denies and which had the gift of pissing him off.
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From Tuesday, the five men will have to answer to the courts for “extortion”, “attempted extortion”, “kidnapping and sequestration” and “criminal associations”. They all face up to 10 years in prison. During the investigation, the defendants developed “a common position”according to the judges, in “claiming themselves to be victims of the acts of which Paul Pogba is a victim”saying he suffered “pressure and aggression” of the two robbers.
Later “pressures”
“Presence” of these two men “is not in dispute”emphasized the judges, and “it is plausible” that there were “pressures” subsequent ones. Roushdane K, for example, was shot in the hand on August 10, 2022.
They all remain presumed innocent. Contacted by West FranceMaître Yves Leberquier, lawyer for Machikour K, assures that his client hopes from this trial “a relaxation” and said to himself “very disappointed” that we could think that he did that to “a childhood friend”. The lawyers for the other defendants and the civil party did not respond to our requests.
For his part, Mathias Pogba, absent the night of the sequestration, is suspected of having “committed pressure against his brother Paul and his family in order to ensure payment of the sum of 13 million euros”. He will be tried for “attempted extortion” and “criminal conspiracy”. He faces up to 5 years in prison and also remains presumed innocent.
His lawyer, Me Mbeko Tabula, indicated that he would only speak at the end of the trial.
