Judge Costa details extensive evidence in triple murder trial of Marseille drug figures

During the Aix-en-Provence assizes, Judge Costa outlined a complex investigation into the 2020 triple homicide of Nassim Loubani, Brahim Chabane and Réda Khaldi. The case began with the discovery of a charred Audi S3 in an A55 service tunnel, containing the bodies of Chabane and Khaldi, both shot in the head. Police used a tracking beacon on the Audi to map the victims' itinerary and locate a second vehicle, a Mercedes, parked in a dead-end near Châteauneuf-les-Martigues, where additional forensic material was found, including blood and DNA from the victims and one accused, Malik Kariba.

A lighter bearing Amine Oualane's DNA and his DNA on a shotgun further tied him to the scene. Audio captured by a microphone placed in Oualane's cell after his January 2021 arrest records his remarks about the investigation and references to alleged accomplices. While the prosecution emphasizes the breadth of evidence, the defense points to a lack of a clear motive, noting prior attempts on Chabane's life and rivalries over drug territories in Frais-Vallon and La Cayolle.