On 23 January last, three public servants from Molenbeek were attacked while transporting almost 70,000 euros to a bank on Place De l’Yser square, and an individual armed with a knife made off with the loot. One month later, four persons were held for questioning, including Mohamed Abdelslam, who had worked before for the Molenbeek city council and was thus aware of the money transport.
Mohamed Abdeslam confessed to being behind the crime, together with Youssef B. and Pierre-Raphaël C. As he had prior convictions for robbery, he was given a 30-month jail term and a 16,000-euro fine.
Youssef B., who denied any involvement in the robbery, was sentenced to a jail term of 18 months, half of it suspended, and a fine of 4,000 euros.
Pierre-Raphaël C. was given a prison sentence of two years, half of it suspended, and a fine of 1,500 euros. As a municipal official in Molenbeek, he had supplied Mohamed Abdeslam with precious information on the transport and contents of the municipal safe.
Three months after his arrest in May, Mohamed Abdeslam was placed under electric surveillance. This continued after he was convicted, and he served one-third of his time. As a result, his bracelet was removed.
Jason Bennett
–