Four individuals were tried at the assize court for the brutal attempted murder of Naim, a 20-year-old resident of Saint-Étienne, who nearly died during an attack on December 18, 2022. The victim was targeted by seven individuals, four of whom were identified, on rue Roger-Salengro. The court delivered its verdict after a trial marked by tension and the defendants’ demeanor, which the advocate general noted as leaving observers perplexed.
During the proceedings, the court reviewed evidence including a video of the assault. Me Clément Abel, the victim’s lawyer, stated: J’ai la chance de plaider sa vie, pas sa mort. Vous avez vu la vidéo de l’agression , on vous a épargné celle de douze minutes où on l’entend agoniser dans son sang. C’est le pire versant de l’espèce humaine : en 2022, on vient en bas de chez vous avec un marteau, à sept contre un, pour vous terminer. Pourquoi Naim ? Pourquoi autant de coups ? On ne sait toujours pas…
The Verdicts and Sentences
The assize court handed down prison sentences for the four defendants involved in the expedition:
- Nadir Atba Benatba: The 25-year-old, described as the victim’s best friend at the time who refused to speak and delivered the final kick, was sentenced to eight years with a committal warrant (Le Progrès). His lawyer, Me Sonia Benheniche, argued that a passive presence should not carry the same penal response as active striking.
- Ilian Hamidi: The 22-year-old, who contested the charges and whose lawyer Me Annie Fournel maintained his innocence, was also sentenced to eight years with a committal warrant.
- Adel Betka: The 23-year-old who drove the attackers to rue Salengro and carried out a refusal to obey police orders during the exfiltration was sentenced to five years, including one year with probationary suspension. Betka, who appeared at the trial as a free man, was immediately incarcerated.
- Pierre Stift: The 24-year-old identified as the man with the hammer who delivered nine blows piercing the victim’s skull and causing irreversible consequences.
Behavior in Court and Ongoing Mystery
The defendants displayed a detached attitude throughout the trial. Nadir Atba Benatba and Ilian Hamidi spent the proceedings yawning, chatting, and laughing, a behavior highlighted by the advocate general, Pauline Gervais. The motive behind the assault remains entirely unknown, with the prosecution and legal representatives emphasizing that despite the severe violence, no clear explanation has ever been provided for why Naim was targeted.
