The defendant accused of reckless homicide for the death of seven immigrants who arrived by boat at Playa Bastián in Costa Teguise has been sentenced to eleven years in prison. According to La Provincia, Mohamed Saoud acknowledged the facts during the trial, which was held this Thursday in Gran Canaria, and a firm sentence of conformity was issued. He must also compensate the heirs of each of the deceased with 60,000 euros, making a total of 420,000 euros.
According to this media, Mohamed Saoud testified by videoconference from prison, as he has been in provisional detention for this case since January 17, 2018. The accused confessed before the Sixth Section of the Provincial Court, with the help of a translator, that he had committed the crimes he was accused of, and accepted the penalties proposed by the Public Prosecutor.
In this way, what is stated in the Prosecutor's Office's indictment is considered proven, which is that Mohamed Saoud "knowingly proceeded to violate the rules of entry into the national territory by helping 27 people to enter Spain through unauthorized posts, using a boat-type vessel for this purpose."
The boat left Tarfaya in the early morning of January 13, 2018, arriving at the coast of Playa Bastián, in Costa Teguise, at approximately 12:30 p.m. on the 15th of the same month. "This boat lacked any security system, as well as life jackets, for the crossing of the ocean, thereby endangering the lives of the immigrants," the Prosecutor's Office maintained, pointing out that, "as a result, a total of seven people died during the journey." Specifically, according to La Provincia, Naji Banamar, Aziz Karchataiba, Mohamed Lagssaibi, Said Kabous, Mourad Hafaouri, RamdanBiachi and Siad El Kharraje lost their lives.
Therefore, La Provincia indicates that Mohamed Saoud has been sentenced to four years in prison for a crime against the rights of foreign citizens and to seven years for the reckless homicide of the seven immigrants, at the rate of one year in prison for each of the deceased, which is the penalty requested by the Prosecutor's Office. This sentence is in addition to another firm sentence that was already imposed on the accused in 2003, also for a crime against foreign citizens. In that case, the Criminal Court number 1 of Arrecife imposed a sentence of three years in prison.
