MONTREAL -- The former wife of a man accused of stabbing her while she was eight months pregnant delivered an emotional plea to the court Monday morning.
The woman, who can't be identified, was married to Sofiane Ghazi. He is currently facing a sentencing hearing after pleading guilty to the second-degree murder of their child.
The woman said Ghazi spent years physically abusing her. Three years ago, in a fit of anger, he stabbed his wife 19 times with a carving fork, including 12 times in her stomach.
Eight months pregnant, the woman survived. A baby boy was delivered via emergency C-section at the hospital and had a heartbeat for several minutes before succumbing to his injuries.
Second-degree murder comes with an automatic life sentence, with a minimum of 10 years to be served before becoming eligible for parole. The prosecution is demanding 18 years minimum before parole.
"Every morning, I go through these events. The smell, the blood, the sight of my dead baby, the pain," she said in court. "I had a tough time accepting death. I so wanted a son. He took him away violently."
The woman held back tears while telling the court about the multiple operations she had to undergo.
The defence is arguing for a sentence of 12 years.
His lawyer said Ghazi suffered from drug addiction and was sometimes paranoid, and raised eyebrows when he told the court his wife was not blameless because she too was a drug user. Ghazi's lawyer argued that this wasn't simply a case of domestic violence, but one of a dysfunctional family.
The judge will deliver his sentence at a later date.
No matter how long he serves, Ghazi is expected to be deported to his native Algeria because he is not a Canadian citizen.
