Moroccan Man on Trial for 2016 Murder in Compiègne, France

At the age of 8, Amine Mahama had left Morocco to join his father Mohamed* in France. The two really did not have family relationships. "There was a gap between us, I neglected him, he did not have the love that a child can have for his father. He was a stranger," confesses the accused’s father, who considers himself guilty in this case. As a result, the young man is looking for a second family. The Camara family welcomes him, particularly Ibrahim, Issa’s younger brother, reports Le Parisien.

In July 2016, a tragedy occurs in the Camara family. Amine Mahama would have wanted to settle a dispute that opposed his old friend to Issa. "Amine was not clear that day. It heated up, there was no common ground. So I went back upstairs and told Issa: ’Let it go, he’s a kid,’" Ibrahim testifies from the stand. However, Amine had remained on the spot. He will add that when he had gone back down, the young man had two weapons in his hands. Issa made the same observation.

"In his head, he must be thinking: ’how does a kid I consider my little brother dare to pull out weapons’. So he advances towards him and Amine backs up, backs up again," Ibrahim continues. According to his account, he had lost sight of them before hearing two dull thuds. Issa had just collapsed.

"Amine, he arrived very young, it was obvious he was lost. He quickly entered my life. He sleeps at my place, my mother feeds him. Twenty thousand times I’ve wondered why him, why did he do that?", Ibrahim wonders.

*Borrowed first names