the essential
During the last day of the trial of the missing people of Nérac, Naïma Bel Allam was sentenced this Thursday, June 20, to 14 years of criminal imprisonment for the murder of her two multi-handicapped daughters.
“Seven years of silence, seven years of absence, seven years of suffering, seven years of lies, seven years of ordeal,” listed Me Belacel, lawyer for the civil party, during her pleading. This is, in summary, the ordeal experienced by the various protagonists in this “extraordinary, extraordinary” affair, which reached its conclusion on Thursday June 20. During the last day of the trial of the missing people of Nérac before the Assize Court of Lot-et-Garonne, Naïma Bel Allam, the mother of Inès and Nawal, was sentenced to 14 years of criminal imprisonment for the murder of her two girls.
“The accused has been fooling us for seven years”
At the end of these four days of trial and seven years of proceedings, we still do not know where Inès and Nawal are. Only the accused has this information, which she will surely take with her to her grave. “She will never admit what she did. Because she managed to convince herself that her children were still alive. From the beginning, she has served us a fable that she improves and adapts according to the elements provided and the investigations,” affirmed the attorney general, who had requested a sentence of 12 or 13 years of criminal imprisonment, with three-year socio-judicial follow-up. “A mother who kills her children always has extenuating circumstances,” added Me Belacel, counsel for the defendant’s family, during his pleadings. But it’s unthinkable for her, it’s unbearable. This is where we slip into the irrational. And it’s called denial. »
The father of the girls, who would now be aged 20 and 18, and the family of the accused left the verdict without answers. “For seven years, this story has kept the father of Inès and Nawal, whom I represent, from sleeping,” said Ms. Brussiau, lawyer for the civil party. This silence is cruel. We know they are dead. But not knowing where they are is cruelty. The family will be condemned for life to ask themselves this question. The accused has been walking around with us for seven years. »
“It is the trial of the absolute sacrifice of a mother”
“The hardest thing for families is not knowing,” said Me Belacel. What allows you to grieve is knowing. The family did not file a civil suit against Naïma. She just wants to know the truth. Family members understand their share of responsibility for not having understood this exhaustion. Maybe they didn’t want to understand. They will leave the courthouse with this element of guilt because they understand that they may not have been up to the task. »
For its part, the defense dismantled the murder charges against Naïma Bel Allam. Me Grolleau and Me Lamarque both pleaded for acquittal for their client. “It’s a difficult trial because there isn’t much concrete,” argued Me Grolleau. We believe she killed them and we have nothing else on file. What do we have to condemn this woman? Absolutely nothing. We don’t even know if Inès and Nawal are dead. Nor do we have the slightest proof of the effective participation of Naïma Bel Allam. It’s so easy to accuse without proof. It’s easy to accuse without proof so as not to recognize the wrongs of our society. It is the trial of the absolute sacrifice of a mother who protects her daughters. There is nothing worse than condemning an innocent person. »
“In hindsight, everything can be subject to interpretation. The prosecution has nothing to do with the lack of evidence, adds Me Lamarque. Naïma Bel Allam’s theory is possible, an expert psychiatrist told the audience that it is not unrealizable. When she decided to entrust her children, she was at the end of her rope. She then fell into a form of astonishment. It’s not because she made this choice that she had a good experience. The deep conviction I have is that there is only doubt and nothing else. And when in doubt, you must pay it. »
