Bayonne Man Faces Trial for Attempted Murder in Alleged Love Triangle Stabbing

The facts occurred on June 10, 2021, at the foot of the apartment buildings in the ZUP of Bayonne, where Hicham L. inflicted several Opinel knife blows on Mehdi, seriously injuring him in the abdomen and ear. Hicham accuses the latter of having an intimate relationship with his ex-wife, from whom he separated four years ago, reports Sud Ouest. Accompanied by his "colleague" Mohammed, Hicham goes to the home of the latter to threaten her. Alerted, Medhi quickly goes to the scene. An argument breaks out between the two rivals. Mohammed, knowing that Hicham was armed, used his build to avoid a confrontation between the two men.

The situation eventually degenerated after a young man in the crowd watching the scene tried to extract Mehdi from Mohammed’s hands. Feeling threatened, the latter drew a knife, causing panic among the onlookers. In the aftermath, Hicham assaulted Mehdi before fleeing to Morocco via Spain. He eventually returned to France and surrendered to the police on February 20, 2022. During his hearing, he explained that he had acted to defend his friend Mohammed, denying having any intention to kill Mehdi, who had already assaulted him in the past.

This version of the facts contradicts the surveillance camera images and the statements of some witnesses who claim to have heard Hicham make death threats. "Today, I’m going to take lives," he allegedly said, according to a witness. Hicham is no choir boy. His criminal record attests to this. The 40-year-old has already been convicted several times for drug trafficking. On June 6, 2023, he was sentenced to six months in prison for harassing his ex-wife and mother of his daughter. Between 2020 and 2021, he called her 2,800 times to insult and humiliate her. Hicham will be informed of his fate on September 24.