The trial of the alleged rapist of the Sénart forest began this Tuesday morning at 9:30 a.m. in front of the Essonne Assize Court in Evry-Courcouronnes.
Small, the head shaved, wearing small round glasses and a mask, the accused, 45, declined his identity and sat in the glass box for this trial scheduled for four weeks.
Informed that he could remain silent, he replied: "I will answer the questions".
In police custody, he said he had no more memories.
Since his imprisonment, he has continued to deny the facts.
No less than 66 witnesses and experts are expected to take the stand.
Aïssa Z. is accused of rape, attempted rape and sexual assault with violence and at gunpoint on 34 women.
Rapes committed in the Sénart forest between 1995 and 2001.
Victims present at the trial
On the benches of the civil parties, ten victims and relatives of victims are present.
Some civil parties requested to testify behind closed doors during the trial.
Four victims have since died.
Aïssa Z. was only arrested in 2015 in Roubaix (North), twenty after the commission of the first facts, thanks to a DNA comparison.
The man is then married and the father of a child.
Several seals, containing in particular traces of the rapist's semen, had been recovered during the investigation.
But it was not until 2015 before the latter "matched", thanks to a new technique, DNA in kin, which made it possible to identify it.
The rapist's modus operandi was constant.
Traveling on a moped, scooter or bicycle with a full-face helmet covering his face, he scouted, passed his victim and then stopped a little further in front of her, simulating a breakdown.
When the victim walked by, he would jump on her, hit her hard and threaten her before raping or sexually assaulting her.
He would then leave after, sometimes, apologizing.
The verdict is expected on October 9.
