He knew that a “criminal plan” was “being developed”. Audrey Mondjehi, 42, was sentenced, Thursday April 4 in Paris, to 30 years of imprisonment for having helped the jihadist Chérif Chekatt to obtain the weapon with which he killed five people in December 2018 in the streets of the market of Christmas in Strasbourg.
This sentence, in accordance with the requisitions of the national anti-terrorism prosecution (Pnat), is accompanied by a two-thirds security period, and a definitive ban on French territory - Mondjehi being of Ivorian nationality.
After five weeks of hearing, the Paris Assize Court ruled that the repeat offender, despite his denials, "was aware of the violent radicalization" of the killer, to whom he was close, and consequently judged him guilty of "association of terrorist criminals", declared President Corinne Goetzmann, in the presence of dozens of attentive civil parties - out of 208 in total.
On the evening of December 11, 2018, after pledging allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group, Chérif Chekatt killed five people and injured 11 others in the crowded streets of the Alsatian capital. He was then shot dead by the police after two days of tracking.
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In the three months preceding the killing, Audrey Mondjehi "knew that Chérif Chekatt's criminal project was being developed", estimated the court, specially composed of professional magistrates. However, he was "unaware of the precise terms", ruled the judges, who therefore found the forty-year-old not guilty of "complicity" in assassinations and attempted terrorist assassinations.
When the verdict was announced, the condemned man showed no reaction. He spoke with his lawyers before being taken away by law enforcement.
Fourth accused acquitted
In his last words to the court on Thursday morning, he expressed his "sadness for all the victims", and affirmed one last time that he would "never have thought" that Chekatt could have committed an attack.
The court also sentenced two other defendants, found guilty of "criminal conspiracy" under common law, to lighter sentences for having also played an intermediary role, but of lesser importance.
One, Christian H., 34, was sentenced to five years in prison, including six months suspended, for having sold Mondjehi and Chekatt two weapons, including one defective, which were not used on the day of the attack.
The other, Frédéric B., 37, was sentenced to four years in prison, including one year suspended, for having communicated to Mondjehi, six days before the killing, the telephone number of the seller of the weapon.
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The two men, who appeared free, will not return to prison: after spending two years and almost 18 months respectively in pre-trial detention, they will serve the remaining part of their sentence under an electronic bracelet or with another arrangement.
A fourth man, Stéphane B., 39, brother of Frédéric, was acquitted. The court considered that he could not be attributed with "any active participation" in the facts, since he was absent the day Chekatt and Mondjehi were put in contact with the seller of the weapon. This man having spent 14 months in pre-trial detention, he will be able to claim compensation, underlined the president of the court.
A fifth defendant should have initially been tried: Albert B., 83, who sold the weapon used in the killing to Audrey Mondjehi and Chérif Chekatt, a few hours before the attack. His case was disjointed due to his state of health which did not allow him to appear. He could therefore be judged alone at a later date.
With AFP
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