Moroccan Man Gets 8.5 Years for Brutal Knife Attack on Wife and Sister-in-Law in Switzerland

A reduced sentence for the Moroccan in his thirties. In an initial verdict handed down by the Criminal Court of the Littoral and Val-de-Travers in September 2018, he had been sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempted murder. Indeed, he had inflicted 19 knife blows on his wife and five on his sister-in-law, in June 2017. But, following the appeal of the public prosecutor’s office and the defense, his sentence was reduced on appeal to 8 and a half years, reports arcinfo.ch.

This verdict, which differs from the first, is explained by the simple fact that the Cantonal Criminal Court of Neuchâtel focused on attempted murder rather than assassination. But the two verdicts agree on the expulsion of the Moroccan from Swiss territory.

According to Judge Pierre Cornu, the aggressor "suffered a narcissistic injury by the fact that his wife no longer wanted him. He acted out of selfishness".

For his part, Prosecutor Fabrice Haag stated that "he continues to see himself as a victim even today. His wife is disfigured and morally destroyed even today".

For his part, the dean of the Vaud Bar, Jean Lob, the third lawyer for the defendant, aged 91, noted in his pleading that "in Morocco, the wife owes perfect obedience to her husband".