The defendant, a 27-year-old Cameroonian, has just been sentenced by the court to two years in prison, one of which is suspended.
When Pierre-Olivier was hosted by cousins living in Castelnau-le-Lez, from July to November 2017, this 22-year-old young man sexually assaulted his 19-year-old cousin. Until an attempted rape, despite the disagreement expressed each time by the victim. Gradually, it had closed in on itself and had lost a lot of weight.
Before the Montpellier Criminal Court, the Cameroonian tried to minimize his role, despite eloquent text messages: “Don’t talk to the parents”. “I’m ashamed, I’m sorry, excuse me”. The young woman’s response: “Never again will you touch me please”.
If the facts date back to 2017, the young woman spoke about it with tears in her eyes, during the trial. “At first, I reached out to him but I was manipulated. Our families are very close, it was difficult to talk about it.”
She finally confided in her mother, and Pierre-Olivier left home. Because he had been kicked out? Or because he had found accommodation? The versions diverge.
He won’t go back to jail
The young man claims to have been persecuted in Africa, and did not consider himself well regarded by the family who hosted him in Castelnau. “The victim is not you, it’s the lady”recalled the prosecutor.
“I hope that one day you will realize how despicable what you have done to the family that took you in is”launched the lawyer for the civil party.
“He arrived with people he knew after six years of exile, there was a cultural gap”recalled his lawyer who pleaded for release.
The Cameroonian, who is now homeless, was sentenced to twenty-four months’ imprisonment, twelve of which were suspended. He will not return to prison, since he served eleven months in detention in this case. He will also have to pay €2,000 in damages to the victim. Whose parents recently hosted Pierre-Olivier’s brother.
