A 27-year-old woman, Dahbia Benkired from Algeria, has been handed a historic sentence in France. She was convicted of the rape, torture, and murder of a 12-year-old schoolgirl named Lola Divet in Paris. Benkired, labeled a “monster devil” by the victim’s family, admitted to abducting Lola, sexually assaulting her, and then fatally injuring her with scissors and a box cutter.
During the sentencing, Benkired remained stoic while Lola’s mother and brother, Delphine and Thibault Daviet, were visibly emotional, embracing each other in tears. The court was informed that after the brutal assault, Benkired suffocated Lola by taping her mouth shut. The case garnered significant public interest in France, with demonstrations outside the courthouse preceding the verdict. Benkired received a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Comparisons were drawn to other high-security inmates, such as Salah Abdeslam, a Belgian terrorist involved in the ISIS attacks that claimed 130 lives in Paris in 2015. Abdeslam, currently under strict surveillance, is expected to be in a similar situation to Benkired in prison.
Protesters advocating for the reinstatement of the death penalty gathered outside the court, demanding harsher punishment for Benkired. The Attorney General of France highlighted Benkired’s heinous actions, stating she preyed on Lola for her own pleasure and should be incarcerated indefinitely to safeguard society.
Addressing the jury, the Attorney General emphasized the need for a severe sentence to prevent Benkired from committing further crimes, deeming her extremely dangerous. Benkired was handed an “irreducible life sentence,” the most severe penalty under French law, despite criticism from human rights organizations.
Delphine Daviet, Lola’s mother, expressed profound grief in court, recounting the tragedy that shattered their previously simple family life. She lamented her inability to protect Lola from the horrific encounter with Benkired, questioning why their family had to endure such devastation.