In court, the defendant indicated that he had drunk alcohol, consumed drugs and taken medication that evening. He says he doesn’t remember setting the fire. His lawyer pleads for acquittal, believing that there is not enough evidence to prove the criminal and voluntary nature of the facts. Alternatively, she requests a probationary stay for her client who has requested psychological support since his arrival in Belgium in 2021.
The latter suffers from post-traumatic stress caused by his life and migration journey. Originally from Sierra Leone, the defendant was mistreated and then chased from his village after contracting the Ebola virus. He had notably passed through Libya where his brother was killed before his eyes, Italy and Germany before arriving in Belgium where he had already completed several stays in psychiatry.
Judgment on February 12.
