A woman probably escaped an attempted femicide in Seraing. She was narrowly saved by her ex-husband, following receiving numerous blows from his companion. The attacker was arrested, but has already been released on conditions. The victim and his family live in fear.
“I thought I was going to die”, confides Marie-Christine. For more than two hours, she was beaten by her partner. Assessment: swollen eyes, bruises on the body, a concussion and two broken ribs.
And when I was down he kicked me
“He gave me a good slap and I fell… And when I was on the ground, he kicked me. Then he grabbed my hair and hit my head on the ground”she says with difficulty.
Giovanni, her tormentor, might not stand the end of their relationship. After having tried to escape without success, she then managed to ask for help in secret from her relatives, by message. “While he was not looking, I put: ‘help police rue du Fort’ and I deleted immediately so that he did not see the message”.
Jacques, her ex-husband, shows up at the suspect’s home and rings the doorbell to free her. “I said to him: listen now, you have two solutions, I’m waiting for the police. You let them out or I’ll come in. I knew he had been warned by a guy that I was inconvenient He shouted: “Marie-Christine is coming out”testifies Jacques.
He knows my car, il know where i live
“I took my things and left. I assure you, I don’t even remember how I drove my car, how I got to the hospital“, adds Marie-Christine.
Arrested, the alleged perpetrator is heard at length by an examining magistrate. Without a criminal record, he was released on conditions.
“There is a conditional release decision. It is obvious that if the conditions are not respected, there is a possibility of deprivation of liberty and a warrant, but that is the decision of the judge. ‘instruction”, says Catherine Collignon, first deputy prosecutor of the King of Liège.
Since then, Marie-Christine has lived in fear: “He knows my car, he knows where I live. Me, I lock myself up, everything is closed”.
The investigation is continuing. In the meantime, Marie-Christine and her relatives hope that justice will be done quickly.
