Baby Gang skips Lecco hearing, says he was beaten in prison; co-defendant changes story

Hearing held without the defendant

Baby Gang, 25, whose legal name is Zaccaria Mouhib, did not attend a hearing before judge Salvatore Catalano in Lecco on Tuesday 10 November 2026. He followed the session by video link from prison after telling his lawyer, Niccolò Vecchioni, that he had been beaten in his cell. The judge acquired a medical report from the Busto Arsizio prison in Varese, which the defence said recorded signs of blows reported by the detainee. The hearing was devoted entirely to the defence's arguments. A verdict is expected in January.

The weapons case

Baby Gang and fellow trapper Simba La Rue, whose legal name is Lamine Saida, are on trial for illegally carrying weapons and receiving stolen goods. The charges concern an assault rifle seized in 2024 that was shown in music videos. At the earlier hearing, prosecutor Chiara Stoppioni asked for two years and four months for Baby Gang and one year and eight months for Simba La Rue. The defence presented its case at the 10 November hearing, and the prosecution's request has not yet been decided.

Co-defendant's changed account

Mevljan Hetem was arrested in February 2025 by Lecco carabinieri, who found two stolen pistols and 22 doses of cocaine in his possession. He initially declined to answer questions. In May 2026, after being detained, he and his father accused Baby Gang during interrogations. In a recorded statement, Hetem said:

“I turned to Baby because I knew he had them, but I do not want to specify how I knew that.”

He changed his account of the two pistols, saying he had asked the singer for them, and attributed the rifle to the 'Npt group', the trapper's own group.

The defence's version

Baby Gang's lawyer, Niccolò Vecchioni, calls the accusations lies and argues that Hetem wanted financial help from the rapper that he never received. According to the defence memorandum, Hetem asked his family to contact Baby Gang while he was in prison, and claims the rapper promised to pay his lawyer and legal costs and that he was to 'cover' him. The defence also argues that the rifle's custody and movement were part of a relationship run by the Hetem family, who decided who held it, where it was kept and how it was recovered. On that basis, the defence says the statements are not credible.

Other proceedings and what comes next

Baby Gang has been in custody since he was re-arrested on 17 March 2026 in a separate Lecco prosecutors' inquiry into weapons possession and other offences. On 13 November, the Milan review court (Riesame) will hear the defence's request for house arrest in a therapeutic community, with an electronic tag, citing a 'psychiatric disorder' and 'substance abuse'. Carabinieri investigations also reportedly link him to alleged mistreatment of a 22-year-old Italian former partner between 2023 and July 2025, and to footage of him holding a bazooka during a trip to Iraq. These matters continue regardless of the outcome of the Lecco trial.