24-year sentence for Sofia Castelli’s murder is final

Waiver of appeal Zakaria Atqaouithe 24-year-old sentenced to 24 years in prison for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Sofia Castelli, which took place in the 20-year-old’s house in the early hours of July 29, 2023. This was confirmed by the boy’s lawyer, Vainter Burani, who states that his client was sentenced in the first instance by the judges of the Assize Court of Monza to “minimum possible” and a second degree could risk an “increase in the sentence”.

The Murder of Sofia Castelli

The prosecution had requested a life sentence for Atqaoui for aggravated voluntary homicide from premeditation, from futile motives and from the use of the insidious means. According to what was reconstructed during the investigations, the 24-year-old, of Moroccan origin and born in the Turin area, was obsessed from the fact that Castelli might be seeing another boy after their relationship ended.

The 20-year-old had spent the night between July 28 and 29, 2023 in a nightclub with some friends. After that, she had returned to her home in Cologno Monzese with one of them, to whom she had offered hospitality. Castelli, however, did not know that hidden in the closet of her bedroom was Atqaoui who, armed with a knife, attacked her while she was sleeping, killing her.

The sentence will be final on September 24th

In the first instance conviction the judges had all the aggravating circumstances recognized contested by the prosecution, but even the mitigating circumstances against the accused. According to the Court, in fact, Atqaoui had shown himself to be “collaborative” and his young age and the fact that he had no criminal record, for this reason, must be considered “equivalents” to the aggravating circumstances. For this reason, the sentence was 24 years of imprisonment, and not life imprisonment.

Since Atqaoui will not appeal, the sentence will become final on September 24th. In fact, the Prosecutor’s Office cannot appeal since all the aggravating circumstances have already been recognized and the civil party cannot act independently.