The trial of Daniel Bellens and Marie Tenret entered its final phase this Monday, with the debate on guilt. They are accused of violent theft, with several aggravating circumstances including that of the murder of Marie Delhoux (88 years old). The events took place on the night of August 22 to 23, 2017 in Ronquières (Braine-le-Comte).
After three days devoted to testimonies, legal professionals give us their analysis of this case. It was Advocate General Pierre Hustin who spoke first. He demanded the guilt of the two accused.
Robbery and murder
For the Advocate General, there was indeed a theft with violence and break-in, committed at night, with several people, with a vehicle escape, to the detriment of a vulnerable person, on the night of August 22 to 23, 2017 at rue du Foot of water in Ronquières.
The murder (question 8) divides the prosecution and the defense lawyers. The question of involuntary manslaughter is asked in the alternative (question 9), the victim having died eight days after the attack. As a reminder, the investigating judge did not consider the murder, because the emergency doctors had declared that the victim was not in danger of death when he was transferred to the hospital. From the first appearance before the Indictment Chamber, the Attorney General requested a reclassification as murder.
Assizes Hainaut – Daniel Bellens, the wolf tried to become a lamb after his release
For the prosecution, there is no doubt that the trauma of the attack is causally linked to his death, the forensic doctors have issued an opinion to this effect. “By striking repeatedly, violently, to the point of cracking the skin of a vulnerable person, the perpetrators accepted the risk of death”.
The Attorney General asks why the perpetrators took the victim from her bed, located upstairs, to place her on a chair in the kitchen, on the ground floor, and beat her. “Why also tear out the telephone cable? For pleasure, perhaps. So that she points out, under the blows, the hiding place of her savings and her jewelry? When we are this violent, we accept that violence leads to death”, declared Pierre Hustin.
Telephony
There was therefore theft and murder, according to the prosecution. It remains to link the accused with this crime. The latter deny being the perpetrators of this violent attack.
On the sleeves of the victim’s pajamas, experts found a genetic fingerprint, that of Daniel Bellens, whose Y chromosome is identical to all members of the Bellens clan. “But it is his phone which is at the crime scene, it went under the antennas of Ronquières, on August 22, 2023, around 6 p.m., and we know that he is looking for something, the messages prove it”, notes Pierre Hustin. Daniel Bellens did not dispute that he was using a phone and a SIM card offered by the mother of his friend at the time.
Marie Tenret’s number also activates the Ronquières antennas on August 22, 2017. She claims that she only led Daniel Bellens.
Jewelry
Jewelry was stolen from the victim. However, relatives of Daniel Bellens saw jewelry and one of them declared that Daniel Bellens had sold them in Charleroi. A witness identified a piece of jewelry the victim was wearing in a photo. “The body of clues and evidence is becoming very solid. If he went to drink coffee in Ronquières, let him say where”, insists the attorney general.
Assises Hainaut: Marie Tenret, a chaotic life journey
For the attorney general, Marie Tenret is co-perpetrator of the crime committed by Daniel Bellens. The victim told his relatives that there was a woman among the perpetrators, who numbered two or three, with hats.
According to those close to her, Marie Delhoux told the truth, although she was sometimes insane. “Her personal and family past shows that she knows the codes of the prison environment, we stay silent or say as little as possible. Whether she was the driver or not is irrelevant, she entered the house and never separated herself from Daniel Bellens during the commission of this theft”. He adds that Marie Tenret also tried to sell the loot.
The attorney general believes that the defense lawyers will present arguments “frivolous” to plead for the acquittal of the two accused.
The latter will plead immediately.
