A man established in Quebec for six years would have “bought” a woman residing in Algeria in a context of “arranged marriage” and would have made her live a real hell. The victim was allegedly raped three times by Zakaria Hadjerci, who allegedly forced her to do household chores for him and his family, threatened to expel her from the country and controlled her finances.
According to the facts alleged by the prosecution, the woman lived in Algeria in a very poor and strict family. Zakaria Hadjerci, a 29-year-old man, reportedly brought the victim to Canada in 2019 after an arrangement with her family for the sum of $10,000. It is the family of the accused who would have paid the amount of the dowry, according to the accused. The man is charged with sexual assault in this case.
According to the account presented at the accused’s release hearing, it was an arranged marriage between the two families.
Under family pressure, in particular that of her brother who threatened her with death, the young woman would have been forced to go to Montreal, we can read in the summary of the facts. The victim should even have provided a certificate of virginity to her future husband.
“I broken bones ”
The victim reports constant control over her movements and finances, intimidation and physical and sexual violence.
The accused would have hit and pinched her several times, according to her. When she cried out in pain, he allegedly threatened her. “If you scream a second time, I’ll break your bones,” he reportedly said.
While she was cleaning up, he allegedly told her he “wanted to hit her so hard until she died,” the suit describes.
Upon arriving in Montreal, the victim discovers her new reality: she must sleep on a sheet on the floor in an empty room, according to her version of the facts.
Later, the accused lying next to her told her “that she does not deserve to be treated as a woman”. He then allegedly sexually assaulted her by inserting his fingers into her genitals. The woman had to be hospitalized with pain and bleeding, she said.
Zakaria Hadjerci would later have forced her to have sex in order to have children “in order to obtain subsidies”, can we read in the court documents.
Forced labor
The man allegedly forced her to do several household chores: cleaning his vehicle, washing clothes by hand in the bathtub without using the washer, and cleaning his brother-in-law’s room.
When she opposed his demands, he threatened to send her back to Algeria, it is alleged.
“She felt like a slave,” the summary of the facts explains.
While waiting for her work permit, her new husband would have forced her to work to take all her money. When she opened a bank account, he allegedly forced her to open a joint account to gain access. In 2021, Zakaria Hadjerci would have thrown the young woman on the street. It was nine months later that she found “the courage to file a complaint”, we explain in the summary of the facts.
The accused for his part denies that it was an arranged union and speaks of a “marriage of love”. He was released last summer at the Montreal courthouse. The trial is expected to be held next July.