Ilias Akoudad, main accused in the Éric Masson affair, denies the accusations against him, this Monday before the Vaucluse Assize Court.
He denies the facts. Ilias Akoudad, 23, is accused of murder and attempted murder of a person holding public authority, in this case Éric Masson, killed at a deal point in Avignon on May 5, 2021. I. Akoudad is being tried this Monday January 19 before the Vaucluse Assize Court and continues to proclaim his innocence at the opening of the trial.
“I contest the facts with which I am accused”
The main accused denies having shot brigadier Éric Masson twice in the area of the Cité des Papes, almost three to the rear. “I contest the facts with which I am accused” indicated the young man this Monday morning. “I stand by my statements” he clarified after the events unfolded. Defended by Maître Franck Berton, he faces life imprisonment.
He is not the only one to appear in this case, two other individuals are accused, one is free, Ayoub Abdi, the other detained in the context of another case, Ismaël Boujti. They will be tried for evading arrest or search of a criminal. The first, aged 23, accompanied the shooter on the day of the incident and fled with him. The second, 24 years old, lent him his cellar which served as an illegal delicatessen. The two “pleaded guilty” indicates La Provence this Monday.
Former colleagues of Éric Masson present at the hearing
Around twenty police officers came to attend the trial this Monday to pay tribute to their former colleague. The Avignon police station issued them with absence certificates to follow the entire duration of the hearing. On the side of the civil parties, “Eric Masson’s partner, his brother, his sister, his father” were present. “All of them have drawn faces and reddened eyes and several do not take their eyes off the accused” reports France Bleu PACA. The hearing is expected to last two weeks. The verdict could be delivered on Thursday February 29, 2024.
Recall of facts
As a reminder, on May 5, 2021, Éric Masson and a teammate controlled a deal point in Avignon. Around 6:30 p.m., several shots targeted Éric Masson, the brigadier collapsed and died a few moments later. Four days later, an arrest took place on the highway towards Spain, two young people were arrested.
Ilias Akoudad is named as the shooter by at least two witnesses: the second individual present at the time of the events and during their escape, as well as Éric Masson’s teammate. Gunshot residue was found on I’s clothing. Akoudad and his phone were stuck in the street of the tragedy at the time of the events. Since the start of the investigation, the main accused has insisted that he was not present on rue du Râteau.