In the morning, the lawyers for the civil party and the attorney general had supported the theory of murder, contesting the thesis of an “accident occurring during a bath”.
Antisocial traits
The defendant’s lawyers had pleaded to assault and battery resulting in death without intent to cause it. Me Brocca, in particular, reminded the jurors that his client was not a sinister scoundrel. He was well accepted by the children of his partner, whom he raised like his sons, and those around him. The Algerian, who landed illegally twice in Belgium, was only known to the authorities for having been involved in drug trafficking, like many other illegal immigrants, but not for acts of violence. For her lawyers, Aïssa Mokhtari does not have the profile of a killer.
After deliberation, jurors found the defendant guilty of murder based on the antisocial traits noted by psychiatric experts and the fact that he was home alone with the child. The jurors followed the medical examiner, who had ruled out the theory of accidental drowning. The accused’s version is, according to them, incompatible with the forensic examinations. The child received several violent blows, which resulted in death. The perpetrator wanted the victim dead or admitted the consequences of his actions, the jurors said.
Assizes of Hainaut: Aïssa Mokhtari admits that little Diden died because of him but maintains that he did not kill him
The victim was the son of the accused’s partner.
The sentencing debate will take place this Thursday.
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