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https://www.20minutes.fr/justice/40...e-avoir-etrangle-mis-coffre-voiture-etudiante
It was almost five years ago. On May 12, 2019, the body of Sandra Bignet was found by her relatives, who were tirelessly searching for her, in the trunk of her own car parked in Valenton ( Val-de-Marne ). Suspected of his murder, Shamran Mehmood Raja was tried before the Val-de-Marne assizes this week. He was sentenced to twenty years of criminal imprisonment.
Of Pakistani origin, the 32-year-old man at the time of the events was also permanently banned from French territory. The president of the court underlined “the seriousness” of his crime, but also his “attitude after these facts”.
Throughout the trial, which began on January 24, the accused denied having strangled Sandra Bignet in her Franprix in Quincy-sous-Sénart ( Essonne ), where she was around midday for an investigation carried out as part of her master's degree in marketing. On the other hand, he admitted to having moved her body after covering her face with tape because her bluish complexion “scared” him, and to having tied her feet and hands to be able to transport her, according to his explanations to the court.
For the prosecution, Shamran Mehmood Raja attacked Sandra Bignet, possibly after she had refused his advances: the body of the young woman does not show signs of rape, according to the autopsy, but the DNA of the accused has was found under one of the victim's nails and on his jeans at the hip level.
The autopsy considers it unlikely that the body of the young woman remained in the trunk from the evening of May 9 until its discovery, as Shamran Mehmood Raja defended: the corpse was too well preserved not to have been kept at a low temperature.
The victim's relatives "are relieved that the guilt of each of the accused is recognized by the courts, even if (they) believe that the sentences are not commensurate with the atrocity of the facts suffered by Sandra", said Julie Granier, lawyer for the civil parties, after the verdict.
Questioned after the verdict was announced, the lawyer for the main accused indicated that he did not wish to comment.
It was almost five years ago. On May 12, 2019, the body of Sandra Bignet was found by her relatives, who were tirelessly searching for her, in the trunk of her own car parked in Valenton ( Val-de-Marne ). Suspected of his murder, Shamran Mehmood Raja was tried before the Val-de-Marne assizes this week. He was sentenced to twenty years of criminal imprisonment.
Of Pakistani origin, the 32-year-old man at the time of the events was also permanently banned from French territory. The president of the court underlined “the seriousness” of his crime, but also his “attitude after these facts”.
Throughout the trial, which began on January 24, the accused denied having strangled Sandra Bignet in her Franprix in Quincy-sous-Sénart ( Essonne ), where she was around midday for an investigation carried out as part of her master's degree in marketing. On the other hand, he admitted to having moved her body after covering her face with tape because her bluish complexion “scared” him, and to having tied her feet and hands to be able to transport her, according to his explanations to the court.
For the prosecution, Shamran Mehmood Raja attacked Sandra Bignet, possibly after she had refused his advances: the body of the young woman does not show signs of rape, according to the autopsy, but the DNA of the accused has was found under one of the victim's nails and on his jeans at the hip level.
The body hidden in a cold room?
The uncle, brother and cousin of Shamran Mehmood Raja were sentenced to suspended prison sentences of one to three years for helping the accused move the body, possibly after hiding it two days in one of the Franprix cold rooms.The autopsy considers it unlikely that the body of the young woman remained in the trunk from the evening of May 9 until its discovery, as Shamran Mehmood Raja defended: the corpse was too well preserved not to have been kept at a low temperature.
The victim's relatives "are relieved that the guilt of each of the accused is recognized by the courts, even if (they) believe that the sentences are not commensurate with the atrocity of the facts suffered by Sandra", said Julie Granier, lawyer for the civil parties, after the verdict.
Questioned after the verdict was announced, the lawyer for the main accused indicated that he did not wish to comment.
