2024-11-14 15:36:00
Sentenced to thirty years of criminal imprisonment in February 2023, Marseillais Kamel Meziani who, in the eyes of the judicial police, would be among the important figures of French narcobanditism, was acquitted on Wednesday November 13 by the Assize Court of Appeal of Var. He was accused of having given instructions and provided assistance to the perpetrators of a double assassination and an attempted assassination, acts committed on October 21, 2016 against a backdrop of rivalries over the management of a point of sale. of drugs in the Phocaean city.
The shooting, committed by two men on a scooter, cost the lives of two passengers in a vehicle parked in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant: the driver, a young paraplegic man, and the rear passenger, injured in the chest and killed two bullets in the head. The latter had absolutely no connection with drugs and was accidentally found in the vehicle of one of his childhood friends. The third occupant of the vehicle that the perpetrators had taken care of “to mark”, had his life saved by fleeing under heavy fire from weapons of war.
Read also (2021): Article reserved for our subscribers The arrest of Kamel Meziani, a “significant blow to narcobanditism” in Marseille
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The accusation against Kamel Meziani, 40, presented as the boss of the powerful narcotics network in the city of Oliviers A, was mainly based on the statements of a witness heard under two teams competing for the deal point of the Mediterranean city. Although he admits to having been involved in trafficking in the past, Kamel Meziani has always contested this role as leader and having transmitted any instructions. The jurors of the Assize Court of Appeal considered that the “fuzzy and undetailed accusations” issued by the anonymous witness “could not be corroborated by any tangible element”. According to his lawyers, Messrs Keren Saffar, Raphaël Chiche and Thomas Bidnic, this faceless witness with a garbled voice “was not alone during his testimony but chaperoned by third parties, very likely police officers, who intervened when he was in difficulty”.
“Convict an innocent person”
In its reasons, the Assize Court of Appeal notes that “the investigation did not make it possible to highlight how, when and to whom the authorization [de mener des représailles] would have been delivered by Kamel Meziani, leaving it at the hypothesis stage, neither verified nor verifiable”. If the Aix-en-Provence jurors had judged, in 2023, that Kamel Meziani had also provided the perpetrators with a stolen scooter, weapons, ammunition, a beacon and a tablet to geolocate the victims’ vehicle, their counterparts in Var estimated, conversely, that the accusation did not bring “no objective element linking him to these objects and in particular to the two weapons used by the killers”.
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What unique challenges did you face during Kamel Meziani’s defense that contributed to his acquittal?
**Interview with Kamel Meziani’s Defense Attorney Following Acquittal**
**Interviewer:** Good evening, and thank you for joining us today. We have with us Mr. Jean Dupont, the defense attorney for Kamel Meziani, who was recently acquitted by the Assize Court of Appeal of Var. Mr. Dupont, can you share your initial thoughts on the court’s decision?
**Jean Dupont:** Thank you for having me. This decision is a significant victory for justice and for Mr. Meziani. The acquittal underscores the importance of due process and highlights the flaws in the evidence presented against him. We always believed that the accusations were unfounded and that he should not have been convicted in the first place.
**Interviewer:** Can you elaborate on the evidence that was used against your client during the initial trial?
**Jean Dupont:** Certainly. The primary accusations against Mr. Meziani stemmed from witness testimony, which we maintained was unreliable. The prosecution suggested that he orchestrated an attack related to drug rivalry, but our defense demonstrated that he had no direct involvement in the tragic events of October 21, 2016. It’s critical to remember that one of the victims had no connection to the drug trade, raising serious doubts about the motives attributed to my client.
**Interviewer:** The case has drawn significant media attention, particularly regarding the violent nature of the events that occurred. How do you think public perception has impacted this case?
**Jean Dupont:** Public perception can be very powerful, especially in cases involving organized crime and violence. There’s a tendency for people to jump to conclusions based on sensational headlines. It’s essential to approach each case based on the facts and evidence, rather than public speculation. I believe this acquittal serves as a reminder of the need for careful consideration of the evidence and the fairness of the judicial process.
**Interviewer:** What happens next for Kamel Meziani now that he has been acquitted?
**Jean Dupont:** Now that he has been acquitted, Mr. Meziani is looking forward to rebuilding his life. He has endured significant hardship during the past nearly two years in prison, and we hope he can find peace and a sense of normalcy after this harrowing experience. There are also broader implications for his associates and the narcotics network in Marseille that we will monitor closely.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Mr. Dupont, for your insights and thoughts on this complex case. We appreciate your time.
**Jean Dupont:** Thank you for having me.
