Two of the three men accused of the murder of Sonia D. at her workplace in the Vapiano restaurant in Kirchberg in 2022 received lengthy prison sentences on Thursday.
The court had heard talk of a “barbaric and savage act” during the trial in May.
Lamine M. and Abdou S. had planned to steal cash from the restaurant’s safe after it had closed for the evening. But they did not expect Sonia D. to still be in the building. She was counting the day’s takings in the basement when she was surprised by the two attackers, one of whom was also an employee at the restaurant.
They hit Sonia D. at least eight times with a pair of pliers and choked the 46-year-old until she finally suffocated. They then fled the scene with a haul of €3,000 and 17 food vouchers, and proceeded to go out partying that same evening.
On Thursday, the Criminal Chamber of the Luxembourg District Court sentenced Lamine M. and Abdou S. to 30 years in prison each for manslaughter, five years of which were suspended. They were also ordered to pay substantial damages to the family of the deceased.
Edu M., who worked in the Vapiano branch and had opened the door to the restaurant for the other two defendants on the evening of the crime, was acquitted.
The prosecution had demanded 30 years in prison without parole for Lamine M. and Abdou S. and an acquittal for Edu M..
The defendants now have 40 days to appeal their sentences.
(This article was first published by Luxemburger Wort. Translated by AI and edited by Duncan Roberts.)