Trial Begins for 13 Accused in Brutal Torture and Murder of Belgian Man with Disability

The young man, who was mentally disabled, was violently tortured by his tormentors who inflicted injuries, burns and other abuse on him. Thirteen of them are on trial before the Tongres Assize Court, in the Limburg region. It all started with the kidnapping of Hilal Makhtout by a group of five individuals who suspected him of having stolen a cargo of three kilos of cocaine.

The kidnappers used extreme torture methods on Hilal. For three days, the young man was beaten, burned and subjected to atrocious suffering to which he eventually succumbed. His horribly mutilated body was then transported to the Forzée gîte where it was discovered by the investigators.

The accused, including Amine Ait Aadi, a close friend of Hilal, are charged with kidnapping, sequestration, torture and murder. The trial is closely followed by the Genk community and is causing a lot of tension in the families of the victim and the accused.