Two Men Charged in Fatal Verviers Altercation That Left 39-Year-Old Father Dead
Faiçal Mahfoud, an electrician of Moroccan origin, died after a violent altercation in Verviers. His death devastated his loved ones and rallied an entire neighborhood. A week after the tragedy, the investigation has taken a new turn with two charges.
“He had a huge heart; he was a loving father.” In Verviers, Belgium, Faiçal Mahfoud’s loved ones are struggling to come to terms with his death. The 39-year-old, nicknamed Karim, leaves behind his wife, Laura, and a teenage son aged around 15.
An electrician by trade, Faiçal was known for his generosity. “He was always there to help,” a friend told the Belgian daily Sudinfo. The friend recalled, in particular, that Faiçal had looked after his daughter when he had to be away.
On Wednesday, October 14, at around 5 p.m., an altercation broke out at Square André Damseaux in the Hodimont neighborhood. Faiçal was seriously injured. When police arrived, emergency responders were already trying to resuscitate him. He was pronounced dead shortly before 5:40 p.m.
According to the initial findings of the Liège prosecutor’s office, the victim may have been struck with a sharp, cutting or blunt object. An investigating judge was assigned to the case on suspicion of intentional homicide.
Two men charged after the tragedy
On Friday, October 16, the CECIV grand mosque hosted a particularly moving tribute. After the prayer, loved ones filed past the coffin and Faiçal’s family. Imam Franck Amin Hensch called for calm and stressed the need to provide long-term support to the residents of Hodimont.
“Death has a color, death has a smell, death has tears,” he told Sudinfo. Faiçal’s wife has also launched a fundraiser to cover funeral costs, with a target of 3,000 euros.
The investigation took a new turn on Wednesday, October 21. According to a statement from the prosecutor’s office reported by Vedia, two men born in 2004 and 2006 were charged with homicide as participants.
After questioning them, the investigating judge issued an arrest warrant for each man. Both were remanded in custody.
Investigators are now seeking to establish the precise circumstances of the altercation and the respective roles of the two men charged. The prosecutor’s office said no further information would be released at this stage of the investigation.
