Five women and seven men were selected on Tuesday to form the jury at the high-profile trial of a group accused of torturing and murdering 33-year-old Genk resident Hilal Makhtout.
The proceedings began at the Tongeren City Hall, which was quickly filled with the 120 prospective jurors. Of these, 50 were exempted from jury duty after presenting valid reasons or medical certificates. The names of the 12 jurors were then drawn by lot by Assize Court president Jo Daenen.
Twelve of the 13 accused were in court on Tuesday, along with the two sisters of the victim. The remaining defendant did not wish to be transferred from prison, where he and 10 other suspects are being held. Two suspects attended the court session wearing electronic tags, each accompanied by a police officer.
The proceedings, lasting four weeks, will see the 12-member jury tasked with determining each defendant’s involvement. During the first three weeks, there will be 84 witnesses. The final week will be allocated for closing statements, with a verdict expected by 22 December 2023.
The main charge facing the accused is torture resulting in death without intent – an offence warranting between 20 and 30 years’ imprisonment. They are also charged with criminal association.
The case dates back to March 2019, when a group of masked men had burst into Mahktout’s home in Genk’s Nieuwe Kempen neighbourhood one afternoon, hit him on the head with a hammer, tied him up and pushed him into a car along with a friend of his.
The group had accused Mahktout of stealing a package of cocaine and money from them.
Four days after the abduction, the owner of a farmhouse found Makhtout’s body in his pigsty. He had been tied up, showed signs of being beaten and even had burn wounds. Three persons who had rented the house were nowhere to be found.
