The 34-year-old Malian marabout Ali S. is on trial from this Wednesday by the criminal court of Seine-Saint-Denis for sexual assault, rape and fraud on several women.
From this Wednesday, April 24, 2024, Ali S., a 34-year-old Malian marabout accused of having abused his religious status to rape seven women, is on trial by the criminal court of Seine-Saint-Denis. In this case, ritual practices and sexual predation mix. He is also being prosecuted for sexual assault and attempted rape of two other women between 2018 and 2020.
Nicknamed the “rapist marabout”
It all started in October 2020 for the man who is nicknamed the “rapist marabout” by certain women in the West African community as indicated by Le Figaro. While a woman went to the police station in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, for rape and extortion against the 34-year-old man. Ali S. had approached her a few days earlier in the street and introduced himself as a marabout, assuring her that the “devil” was after her. Faced with telephone threats, and a potential curse against her children, she gives him money twice.
Later, the woman ended up agreeing to a meeting in a hotel room in Montreuil. According to the victim’s account, Ali S. then asked to practice “maraboutage”. She refuses, he forces her and rapes her before leaving. In the following days, the victim received numerous calls and images of voodoo scenes on his phone. The police then arrested the suspect.
“Our clients are very marked by this issue”
Ali S. is also suspected of having used the same process on other victims. Generally, the victims wanted to relieve a painful foot, remove an obstacle to a marriage or become pregnant by going to see this marabout. They were subsequently threatened and harassed. “Our clients are very marked by this very particular case. For them, the road to reaching the trial was difficult, both due to the extremely harsh nature of the facts and the difficult access to the law for certain victims” they said. declared to AFP Messes Seydi Ba, Diala Al-Shaman and Julien Lefébure, lawyers for several civil parties.
“These women are plotting against me”
Ali S. harassed his victims via WhatsApp with pornographic messages or photos of voodoo scenes, candles, nails, knives, etc. His objective was clear, to use the beliefs of his victims to obtain sex and money. During the investigation, he alleged a “plot” against him. “This is all politics, these women are plotting against me,” he declared, comments relayed by AFP. Today, he faces 15 years of criminal imprisonment.