Mayalé Desbois denies premeditation on the first day of her trial at the Assize Court

What happened in Mayalé Desbois’ head on May 22, 2022? This is what the Cayenne Minors’ Assize Court is trying to understand. The trial of the young man, aged 17 at the time of the events, began this Wednesday, November 20. It takes place behind closed doors. Only families and witnesses are allowed to attend.

Mayalé Desbois is accused of murdering his childhood friend, Benaya Mangal, in Mana in 2022.

“In these preliminary remarks, he called into question this premeditation which he had nevertheless recognized during these custody hearings”, relates Me Boris Chong-Sit, the lawyer for the Mangal family.

According to him, it will be “the whole issue of the trial.” “The civil party will try to convince the Juveniles' Assize Court that there was indeed premeditation and that this crime must be qualified as assassination”, affirms Me Boris Chong-Sit.

Before the closed session of the trial was recorded by the president of the Assize Court this morning, Mayalé Desbois was sitting, looking haggard, in the accused box, surrounded by two gendarmes. Fine features, a childish face, a frail and curled up body.

For the Mangal family, hearing him deny premeditation is an additional blow. On the civil parties' bench, Benaya Mangal's parents wear t-shirts bearing their son's image. Devastated, they are surrounded by their loved ones. The united Mangal clan is also angry. “We can’t digest what happened”whispers one of them.

Benaya Mangal disappeared on May 22, 2022 after going to his friend's house in Mana to do bodybuilding. Mayalé Desbois then allegedly lured him onto a boat to go fishing on the lake. Far from the shore, he allegedly beat him with a saber several times before throwing him into the water. Benaya Mangal's body was found ten days later, during yet another search carried out by the family. At the time, Mayalé Desbois recognized the facts.

This afternoon, the personality of the accused was discussed at length. Malayé Desbois lost his mother at the age of 5 in a car accident. What resentment could this tragedy have given rise to in the accused?

Several psychiatric experts were heard. Did Mayalé Desbois suffer from psychological disorders? How was the teenager able to inflict several saber blows on his childhood friend? If his discernment was impaired, how can we explain that the young man then cleaned the boat in which the tragedy had occurred? He also allegedly made his victim's phone and clothes disappear. Very methodical behavior on the part of the accused.

Asked about his son's personality, his father did not wish to answer us. However, he said “expect a lot from these psychological expertises”during a recess in progress at midday.

“We need answers, he confided. And the victim’s family even more so.” This former gendarme does not comment on the change in his son's defense. “I was never able to talk about the affair with him, under penalty of being deprived of a meeting room”, he explains. Malayé Desbois has been incarcerated at Remire-Montjoly prison for two years. His lawyer, Me Jérémy Stanislas, did not wish to speak either.

Mayalé Desbois' father and the Mangal couple were friends before the tragedy. Since then, they have no longer had a connection. Mayalé Desbois' father no longer lives in Mana. He adds that he left the town because he received “too many death threats”.

During the morning, the director of investigation was heard by the Court. He reported on the investigations carried out by the management of the gendarmerie services. The forensic doctor then presented his report to the Court.

According to investigations, the accused was in love with a young girl towards whom Benaya Mangal would have been indelicate. This young girl was called before the Court at the end of the day. Is revenge the motive for this assassination? The same age, the teenager knew Benaya Mangal and Mayalé Desbois well.

The trial continues this evening with the start of the hearing of the accused which could continue tomorrow, Tuesday. The verdict is expected on Friday.