Triple murder trial reveals extreme violence

The trial of a triple murder near Marseille, which took place in 2020, has brought to light the extreme violence linked to drug trafficking. The victims, including Brahim, the older brother of anti-drug activist Amine Kessaci, were found in charred cars, showing signs of severe physical trauma before being set on fire.

Forensic details of the victims’ injuries

Forensic physicians described the injuries sustained by Brahim, Réda, and Nassim, who were each shot in the head before their bodies were set on fire. Their bodies were found in two different cars, one in a highway tunnel near Marseille and the other in the city's northern quarters, over several days.

Brahim’s body showed extreme charring

Brahim’s body, discovered on December 29, 2020, was described as "very, very damaged by charring," weighing just 20 kilograms. Forensic analysis noted "thermal amputation of the four limbs" and "splitting of the skull" due to intense heat from the fire.

Réda and Nassim’s bodies showed signs of dismemberment

Réda, found in a burned car on the same day, showed similar signs of charring, with the fire "destroying the ends of the four limbs." Nassim’s body, discovered on January 6, 2021, showed "clean dismemberment of the four limbs" after death but before the fire, likely caused by an axe or a saw with not too many teeth.

No signs of breathing during the fire

The bodies of Réda and Nassim showed no signs of soot deposits or blackish residues in the lungs or trachea, indicating they were not breathing when the fire started. Nassim’s body also had three cranial wounds, including one at the temple and another at the base of the skull.

One defendant admits to dismemberment

Malik Kariba, accused of the dismemberment and nicknamed "the butcher," admitted to the act but not the murders. He expressed remorse and stated he would "never be forgiven" for his actions.

Other defendants deny involvement

Among the five defendants are Karim Harrat, a former drug baron accused of instigating and financing the operation, and Amine Oualane, a leader of the DZ Mafia, a group that later dominated drug trafficking in Marseille through violence. Both deny involvement in the murders.

Defendants react during the trial

When the prosecutor mentioned a homicide they are implicated in, Oualane became angry and was reprimanded by the judge. Harrat recounted his troubled past, including criminal records for violence, theft, and fraud, and claimed his actions were driven by an "addiction to gambling."

Amine Kessaci attends the trial

Amine Kessaci, who became a deputy mayor of Marseille and was elected co-spokesperson for the Ecologists, attended the trial without his mother, who had attended the opening session. Relatives of the victims displayed serious expressions during the proceedings.