Torture Raul (9)
The Ghent people’s jury has decided: Ioana-Maria Micu (33) and Nicusor Nati Ciurcui (37) are sentenced to 30 years in prison. In addition, they were each sentenced to 5 years of detention. Earlier today, the jury ruled that the mother and stepfather were guilty of torturing 9-year-old Raul, resulting in his death. The boy died in 2023 after months of violence. “I’m sorry, I respect your decision,” were the mother’s last words just before the judgment was read out.
Pieter Jan Dhollander,Joren Wollants,Lara Tytgat,Rani Aertgeertsand Lien Verlinden
LOOK. Stoically calm: this is how mother and stepfather heard their punishment for the torture death of little Raul (9)
During the trial, both suspects were made unrecognizable on HLN. Because they have now been declared guilty and sentenced to 30 years, the facts are particularly serious and the requested sentence is high, we have chosen to portray them in a recognizable manner.
🎧 Listen to the Trial X episode about the murder of little Raul here
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Maria and Nicusor are led away from the court
Chairman Clauw: “Raul is the child of an entire society”
After the judgment, Chairman Clauw addressed the convicts. “Your judges heard you, but were very strict. With good reason,” he said. “What you did and how you did it exceeded the unthinkable.”
According to Clauw, an attempt was made during the trial to “give back a little dignity and respect” to Raul. Respect that Maria and Nicusor had denied him. “Raul, like every child in our society, was worth it. Raul is the child of an entire society.”
The chairman urged the convicts to bear their punishment “with resignation” and to gain insight.
Maria and Nicusor get 30 years in prison for torturing Raul
Chairman Clauw read out the judgment. The assize court sentences Maria and Nicusor to 30 years in prison for the torture of Raul. They also each receive 5 years of probation, which means that they are not simply released after their sentence. The sentencing court will monitor them closely afterwards and can then decide to extend their stay in prison if that proves necessary.
Court and jury see no mitigating circumstances: “Harrowing and extremely cowardly acts”
When determining the sentence, the court and jury took into account all the circumstances of the case. According to them, strict punishment is necessary to make the accused aware of the seriousness of their actions.
Raul was treated extremely violently by his mother and stepfather, even though as a child he was completely dependent on them and had confidence in them. According to the court and jury, he was brought to Belgium for opportunistic reasons, and then isolated and subjected to torture and degrading treatment.
“They used the child as an object to take out their frustrations on,” it said. The court calls the fact that his own mother and stepfather did this to him “harrowing” and “extremely cowardly”.
The horror of the facts, the disturbed sense of norms, antisocial personality traits, the high risk of recidivism and the dangerousness of both accused also played a role. The court also refers to the way in which Raul’s body was folded in half, put in a bag and calculatedly disposed of that same night. The lightness with which the accused dealt with it afterwards and the laughter at horrible details also weigh heavily.
All this convinces the court and jury that there are no mitigating circumstances.
The jury will deliberate on the sentence.
Stepfather Nicusor also gets the last word: “The same as Maria. I want to say the same thing.”
I respect your decision. I’m sorry about what happened. I’m going to keep repeating that.
Stepfather’s defense also asks for extenuating circumstances
Master Peeters again mentioned Nicusor’s youth. According to him, children in Romanian orphanages were “mutilated by machine”. According to the defense, this is a first mitigating circumstance.
In addition, Peeters pointed out the complete lack of affection within Nicusor’s own family. He also mentioned that Nicusor has always worked, lived in difficult circumstances and has a clean criminal record. In prison he would behave properly and accept his detention.
Mallego does not want to mention a number of years in prison
Master Mallego himself did not want to put forward a specific number of years in prison. He especially asked the jury to leave Maria “a spark of hope”.
Defense asks to take into account Maria’s clean criminal record and limited IQ
Master Mallego cited some extenuating circumstances for Maria. For example, he pointed out her clean criminal record, her limited IQ, the fact that she has always worked and that she is doing well in prison.
Mallego also cited some other mitigating circumstances. He emphasized that, in his opinion, Maria had the courage to speak the truth. “That’s not worthless,” he said. According to the defense, her difficult childhood must also be taken into account: Maria is said to have lacked the necessary guidance at home.
Defense of Maria: “Punishments must remain human”
According to Master Mallego, the Public Prosecution Service is actually asking for Maria to be behind bars for 45 years: 30 years in prison, followed by 15 years of detention. “She won’t see the outside world for a long time,” he says.
The attorney asked the jury not to take a prison sentence lightly. “Excess is harmful. We are people. I ask you to give her a small point of light.” According to Mallego, with the Public Prosecution Service’s claim, Maria is “done”.
“Punishments must be humane. What is the correct number?” he wondered. “We do not live in a society of an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”
Maria’s defense gets the floor
The Public Prosecution Service has completed its criminal proceedings. Then Master Mallego, Maria’s lawyer, is given the floor for the defense.
Public Prosecution Service is asking for 30 years in prison and 15 years of probation
The public prosecutor is asking for 30 years in prison for the accused. In addition, it also requires a decision to be made available to the sentencing court. This is a measure in addition to the prison sentence. “I am asking for 15 years of TBS,” he said.
“Parasitic Lifestyle”
The Public Prosecution Service describes the lifestyle of the mother and stepfather as “parasitic”. About Nicusor it sounds that he is also manipulative.
Both accused show a complete lack of empathy.
OM about Maria: “She chose men instead of her children”
According to the public prosecutor, Maria also has a lack of education. Her mother stated that Maria preferred to be with men rather than at school.
According to the Public Prosecution Service, Maria repeatedly made the same choice: for men, and not for her children. “She is a maniac and will always continue to make that choice,” he said sharply.
The Public Prosecution Service sees no mitigating circumstances for Nicusor
According to the Public Prosecution Service, the defense may soon cite mitigating circumstances, but the Public Prosecution Service sees no reason to do so.
About Nicusor’s past it was said that he was once in an orphanage, which was already supervised by a Belgian organization. “His situation was not rosy,” the Public Prosecution Service said. “But there are many people who have been in the same situation and have done nothing.”
The Public Prosecution Service is asking for the maximum sentence
Public Prosecution Service: “I see no mitigating circumstances”
“You have judged with great knowledge,” the public prosecutor said to the jury. Now the punishment must be determined. This can range from 3 to 30 years in prison, “a very wide margin”.
According to the Public Prosecution Service, possible mitigating or aggravating circumstances must be taken into account. “But I don’t see any extenuating circumstances myself.”
The arguments about sentencing begin
The Public Prosecution Service takes the lead.
