A woman, Dahbia Benkired, has been sentenced to life in prison without parole, making history as the first woman in France to receive such a sentence. Benkired, a 27-year-old from Algeria, was convicted of raping, torturing, and murdering a 12-year-old schoolgirl named Lola Divet in Paris. The victim’s family referred to Benkired as a “monster devil” for the heinous crimes she committed.
During the sentencing, Benkired remained stoic while Lola’s mother and brother embraced each other in tears. The court learned that after subjecting Lola to unspeakable horrors, Benkired suffocated her by taping her mouth. The case garnered significant public attention, with protesters demonstrating outside the court before the verdict was announced.
Benkired now joins other inmates, including terrorist Salah Abdeslam, serving life sentences. The Attorney General emphasized the extreme danger Benkired poses and the need to protect society from her potential reoffending. Lola’s mother expressed profound grief in court, lamenting the tragic loss of her daughter and the impact it had on their once happy family life.
The sentencing of Benkired to an “irreducible life sentence” reflects the severity of her crimes under French law. Despite criticisms from human rights organizations, the court deemed it necessary to impose the harshest penalty available. The victim’s mother shared her anguish, questioning why her family had to face such a tragedy and expressing eternal sorrow over the loss of her daughter.