Prosecutors pushing for life sentence for Kinahan ally Ridouan Taghi’s accomplice

At a session of the Marengo Trial in which members of the Taghi gang are being tried for six murders, they called for Saïd Razzouki to be jailed for life.

Razzouki had been extradited from Colombia to face trial along with mob boss Taghi who had been sent back from Dubai.

The trial has been marked by a series of murders despite the high-security surrounding proceedings, including that of a journalist who was an advisor to a gang member turned state witness.

Also killed were the brother of the state witness and a lawyer who had been acting for him.

Taghi is one of the suspected members of the super-cartel who all attended Daniel Kinahan’s wedding celebration at the Burj al Arab hotel in 2017.

On Friday, the Public Prosecution Service demanded life in prison against Razzouki who is accused of several murders and attempted murders and of leading a criminal organization.

Prosecutors described it as a “completely unscrupulous organisation.”

At Friday’s hearing prosecutors pointed to the empty seats reserved for relatives of the victims who are too frightened to attend.

“There is not a single surviving relative who dares to exercise the right to speak. They will not tell you who their father, brother, son or loved one was, what he meant to them and how he is still missed."

The prosecution said the motive for most of the murders was revenge and to ensure silence “because there was talk or to prevent talk.”

The statements of the key State witness were of “great importance” in tracking down the gang leaders who had “remained largely out of sight.”

“His statements showed that this series of murders was committed by one and the same organisation. It also turned out that there were others on the list to be killed by this organisation.”

As well as the witness statements a large number of encrypted messages from the suspects were also used in evidence.

They provided a shocking insight into the way in how the accused men talked to each other about murders and victims.

Intercepted messages showed Taghi saying that if necessary, the killer should break into his home and do it in daylight.

They were told “no matter what time or morning or night light, if it sleeps, you will be well rewarded.” and told to carry it out “calm and stylish.

The Public Prosecutor previously said Taghi and Razzouki are the leaders of the gang who set out to ruthlessly stamp their mark on the Dutch underworld.

Anyone considered a threat was put on Taghi’s death list including innocent people he feared could provide information to the police.

He micro-managed some killings ordering the hit teams to put three bullets into the head of one victim and to carry out the murders “with style.”

“In those messages it is about “dogs” and “son of a whore/children” who have to “go to sleep,” said the prosecution.

“In a period of just over 17 months, six men have been killed and another seven have been attempted. Those numbers are unbelievable. If everything had worked out, that would have been almost one fatality per month.”

According to the Public Prosecution Service, Said Razzouki was the right hand and also "actually a kind of older brother" of Taghi.

“He was in direct contact with T. about the murders to be carried out. He also collected information about the whereabouts of intended victims and gave instructions to spotters about observing the targets.”

He is also accused of managing the stock of weapons and tested those weapons himself before the murders were committed

Razzouki’s trial was delayed compared to the five other suspects, including Taghi, in which prosecutors already made the case for life sentences to be handed down.

The Marengo trial had already started before his arrest in Colombia in February 2020 before being extradited in December 2021.