A verdict without great surprise, facing an accused who has always denied any involvement.
This Tuesday, the Doubs Assize Court sentenced Chilean Nicolas Zepeda to 28 years in prison for the murder of his Japanese ex-girlfriend Narumi Kurosaki in December 2016 in Besançon.
"I am not who I would like, but I am not an assassin, I am not the assassin of Narumi", had assured one last time in the morning the accused, speaking for the first time in French, before the jurors leave to deliberate.
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Invited by the president of the court Matthieu Husson to speak one last time before the end of the debates which lasted ten days, Nicolas Zepeda, still in shirt and tie, spoke while shedding a few tears.
"I never wanted to be in the middle of Narumi's family pain, I never wanted to be in the middle of my own family's pain, my own pain," said the 31-year-old Chilean.
Advocate General Etienne Manteaux on Monday requested life imprisonment for Nicolas Zepeda who, according to him, "deliberately killed his ex-companion with premeditation", failing to have succeeded in winning her back.
Despite a large body of incriminating evidence, the accused continued to proclaim his innocence throughout his trial.
Narumi Kurosaki has not been seen since December 4, 2016 and her body has never been found.
