Ulfat Ghias Age: 31
Murdered: July 4, 2020
Residence: Argenteuil, Île-de-France
Origin: Pakistan
Perpetrators: Adib and Bilal C.
On Thursday, January 30, 2025, a 25-year prison sentence was demanded against brothers Adib and Bilal C. for the murder of their brother-in-law, Ulfat Ghias. The brothers, of Pakistani origin, are accused of murdering Ulfat on July 4, 2020, in his apartment in Argenteuil, a suburb of Paris. He was strangled and stabbed six times, after which his body, weighed down with 100 kg of weight plates, was dumped in a barrel and thrown into the Seine. The barrel was later accidentally discovered during a firefighting exercise.
The public prosecutor emphasized that the brothers acted in the name of family honor and that the murder was premeditated. The exact motive remains unclear, but there are mentions of domestic violence, a €5,000 debt, and Ulfat’s marriage for a residence permit. The prosecutor argued that the brothers show no remorse and made it clear that Pakistani customary laws have no place in France.
The defense questioned the evidence and pointed out uncertainties in the case file. Adib C.'s lawyer pleaded for acquittal, claiming his client only intended to hide the body to protect his brother. Bilal C.’s lawyer suggested that the crime resulted from an escalating argument and questioned who actually committed the murder.
The verdict is not yet known.