The Assize Court of Bouches-du-Rhône judges from Monday two men accused of the execution of a 15-year-old teenager against a background of bloody opposition for the control of drug outlets in Marseille, which 'they fiercely dispute.
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On November 18, 2016, a jogger discovered Rudy's body, summarily set on fire, on a path in the Etoile massif. The teenager was executed using the wildest methods of narcobanditism: on his knees, his wrists tied, he received two shots from a hunting weapon, one in the chest, the other taking part of his body. brain cavity.
For nearly two years, Rudy had dropped out of his bodywork studies in a professional high school, recruited as a lookout and "
charbonneur
" (narcotics dealer) in building C of the city of Jean Jaurès in Marseille. The two accused, Khadim Thiam, nicknamed "
Jimmy
", and Samir Zerouali, alias "
ZZ
", aged 23 and 21 at the time of the facts, are the two "
grown-ups
" in the company of whom Rudy had been seen for the last time, when the narcotics point of sale closes, a few hours before the discovery of his body.
The accusation is based mainly on the testimony of Nourdine, Rudy's friend, 17 years old at the time of the events, "
chouf
" (lookout) in the city.
On several occasions, this witness declared: "
Jimmy said direct to ZZ + it's him +, ZZ took Rudy by the shoulder and the three of them left direct
".
On Facebook, Nourdine immediately shares her concern with a friend.
Rumor has it that Rudy may have been involved in a settling of scores, committed some time earlier on October 21 in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant, which has not been confirmed by the investigation.
Drug wars
Rudy's assassination therefore takes place against the backdrop of one of these turf wars for drug trafficking at the origin of the settling of scores which, in 2016 had left 29 dead in Marseille, one of the deadliest years. Investigators believe that the defendants would have taken over the plan for the city of Jean-Jaurès, taking advantage of the incarceration of the "
network boss
".
They deny being the perpetrators of Rudy's assassination and their lawyers will plead their acquittal underlining "
the absence of any material evidence
".
In her order of indictment, the investigating judge in charge of this investigation indicates that after denying their presence that evening at the Cité Jean-Jaurès, the defendants finally admitted to having gone there.
Samir Zerouali had admitted having gone there to steal the vendors' satchel.
Khadim Thiam said he had been there that day to buy his cannabis consumption.
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In Marseille, several minors were victims of the drug wars.
In 2010, a 16-year-old boy was shot dead in a city where he was employed as a lookout.
In October 2015, two of the three victims of a shooting in a lobby of an apartment building in the Cité des Lauriers were 15 years old and in August a 14-year-old teenager was shot dead near the dealership of the city of the Chestnut trees.
