Fugitive in 2011 French Murder Case Arrested in Morocco After Faking Own Death

Hassan Benhamza’s girlfriend told investigators that, gnawed by remorse after his crime, the latter let himself die in a barn, without electricity and water, before committing suicide on June 11, 2011 in a small village in Morocco, his country of origin. After his funeral, his brother filed a death certificate with the French police in July 2011. Doubting the veracity of this strange death, the investigators placed the relatives of Hassan under surveillance, which allowed them to discover the truth, reports Le Parisien.

Convicted by default to 25 years in prison in August 2016 by the Paris Assize Court for the murder of Medhi, Hassan Benhamza, who was the subject of an international arrest warrant since March 2014, was arrested a month ago by the Moroccan judicial police, according to a press release from the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) published in the Moroccan press. After his arrest, he would have been heard by several judges and placed in detention in the Al Arjat prison.

The victim’s relatives did not hide their surprise after learning the news of the murderer’s arrest. "Everyone collapsed," says Saïd, Medhi’s older brother. "At first, we didn’t believe it. Twelve years later, there might have been a mistake," adds Houda, one of Medhi’s sisters. "We never managed to mourn. Our father died, our mother is sick. He destroyed an entire family," laments Inès, another of Medhi’s sisters. The French authorities have not confirmed the information, at least not officially.

The facts date back to March 26, 2011, when Hassan and Medhi, 23, argued over a dog, to the point of coming to blows. A duel won by Medhi. The next day, Hassan, who wanted to take his revenge, lay in wait for his friend in front of his home, rue Louis-Bonnet (11th arrondissement), then attacked him, striking him in the head. Once the victim was on the ground, he sat on him and stabbed him in the middle of the chest, causing his death. After his crime, Hassan took refuge in Morocco where his extradition is impossible. The victim’s family does not intend to "give up" and will "fight to the end to do justice" to Medhi.