Marlène Gournay was killed in September 2019 at her home in Geneva, Switzerland. His body was found burned in a suitcase buried in a forest in Haute-Savoie.
The Assize Court of Haute-Savoie retained his version. A 21-year-old man was sentenced to 13 years in prison on Thursday for the death in Geneva in 2019 of a French escort girl. His body had been found burnt, buried in a forest in Haute-Savoie.
The accused, prosecuted for “robbery with violence resulting in death” and “attack on the integrity of a corpse” was liable to life imprisonment. The Advocate General had requested, on Wednesday, a twenty-year prison sentence.
“Plan facile”
On the night of September 9 to 10, 2019, Marlène Gournay, 34, was assaulted at her Geneva home where she legally welcomed her clients. Two men were implicated in this case, but only Soheil Sabet was tried this week in Annecy. The other, Sonil Caboussat, 42, will later be in Switzerland.
During the hearing, Soheil Sabet said he was influenced by the forties, who had previously served a prison sentence with his older brother. “He had put me in confidence by talking to me about my brother”, assured the accused who, during the investigation, appeared involved in the resale of narcotics.
“I agreed to follow Mr. Caboussat, only because according to what he had told me, it was an easy plan, with 50,000 euros to be won”, explained Soheil Sabet, claiming to have been overwhelmed by the situation and the unwanted death of Marlène Gournay.
Apologies offered
Heard as a witness by videoconference from Geneva, Sonil Caboussat, described as a “bad genius” by Me Richard Zelmati, lawyer for Soheil Sabet, is known to the Swiss authorities. He is notably accused of cases of pimping and theft with a weapon. During the investigation, he attributed responsibility for the death to the young man aged 18 at the time.
At trial, a French investigator said he believed more in the version of Soheil Sabet, who had heard “a real tone of truth” according to him, while the two defendants continued to accuse each other. To the man who presents himself as the companion of Marlène Gournay, Soheil Sabet has apologized. “I understand, I understand you,” replied this man, a Swiss teacher.
With this man, were present, on the civil party side, two little cousins of the victim, whom the latter had designated as his only heirs three months before his death. “Marlène Gournay lived generally alone, she died alone and it took little for there to be no one to represent her at this hearing,” said Me Marjorie Berruex, for the civil parties.
