She hasn’t shown any signs of life for a week. According to our information, the body of young Sihem, 18 years old, was found in the Gard forest near the town of Salles-du-Gardon on Wednesday-Thursday night. He was the main suspect who confessed between 2am and 3am at a new hearing with the Gendarmerie of the Nîmes research department. He was transferred and imprisoned during the night.
Facing investigators, Mahfoud H. gave a very brief explanation. He pointed on the map where he had left the body. Enough for a judge and police to go to the scene without him. According to him, the 39-year-old explained that an argument may have erupted between them on the night of Wednesday, January 25, which must be confirmed by an investigation.
The suspect claimed the victim was in love with him, but he rejected the relationship because Sihem was his ex-partner’s cousin. Still according to his statement, Mahfoud H. would put his hand over the young girl’s mouth in an attempt to silence her. Sihem will suffocate. Statements that must be substantiated, inter alia, by autopsy.
“I helped a man who decided to take a big responsibility in Sihem’s disappearance and ended the unbearable suspense for his relatives by guiding investigators. He knew his mistakes were unforgivable, but his silence only made matters worse. It’s getting worse,” responded Parisian Me Jean-Marc Darrigade, lawyer for Mahfoud H.
The high school student left the ground floor social housing where her 95-year-old grandmother, Fatima, lived at about 11.10pm on Wednesday, January 25. Since this evening, Sihem’s smartphone has not responded to multiple calls from relatives and family members. On Thursday, January 26, it was the father who went to the police station in Ales to announce the disappearance of his only daughter, who was born into a family of four. The document was then sent to the Gard Gendarmerie, which launched an investigation into the “disturbing disappearance”.
False kidnapping trace dismissed
Alès’ prosecutor, François Schneider, finally initiated the kidnapping and seizure proceedings, which made it possible to deploy additional investigative tools. “Clearly, investigators have sufficient evidence to believe that Sihem did not disappear voluntarily,” said the family’s lawyers Me Sara Benlefki and Me Mourad Battikh.
In support of the Gendarmerie elements, Sihem’s friends provided testimony that she had left to join an acquaintance who was suspected to be Mahfoud H., whom the police knew very badly, as he had been sentenced at least 13 times, especially For serious theft. He, who has been in prison for many years, comes from a small town bordering West Ham and enjoys the reputation of being a boss. Contrary to West Ham, he is described as a girl without a story.
Furthermore, starting from Thursday, January 26, the day after Sihem disappeared, youths from the village came to Mahfoud’s house to demand an explanation. The situation was so tense that the military police had to step in to calm the situation. According to several testimonies, Mahford showed some calm over the next few days, even saying “don’t worry, we’ll find her”.
After the young girl went missing, the investigation moved quickly. On Tuesday, Mahfoud H., 39, was detained by the gendarmes of the Nîmes research department. Several searches were conducted at his home. The man was due to appear in court the day after he was arrested in 2011 in a home confinement case. Mahfoud’s ex-girlfriend has also been taken into police custody to determine whether she has information that could guide the investigation.
According to our information, during the disappearance, investigators explored at length an incredibly fake kidnapping scene that could have turned out to be real. Testimonies collected by the Gendarmerie indicated that Mahfoud H. would persuade Sihem to pretend to be a hostage in order to defraud dangerous drug dealers from the Nîmes region who might steal the drugs. A discount of 50,000 Euros was mentioned. The track turned out to be misleading, and the gendarmes are now convinced that Mahfoud H. is the show’s sole protagonist.