Leaks at 36 Quai des Orfèvres: release required for the former director of the judicial police

Europe 1 with AFP 7 p.m., October 3, 2022

The prosecution requested on Monday in Paris the release of the former boss of 36, quai des Orfèvres, Bernard Petit, suspected of having transmitted confidential information on a judicial investigation in 2014. The then boss of the Parisian judicial police had was dismissed with a bang in February 2015, after his indictment in this case for violation of the secrecy of the instruction in particular.

The public prosecutor demanded a general release in the second part of a file with drawers, involving a total of 19 defendants, examined since September 12 by the Paris Criminal Court.

Bernard Petit is suspected with his then chief of staff Richard Atlan of having transmitted, via the police officer Philippe Lemaître, information in October 2014 to the founder of the GIGN Christian Prouteau on an investigation concerning him.

"It's the opposite of my whole life" 

After three weeks of hearing, the prosecutor Damien Fourn recalled that the statements of Philippe Lemaître constituted the "cornerstone" of the act of referral to the court.

At the helm, Philippe Lemaître first changed version, before, the next day, again maintaining his initial statements.

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"It's the opposite of my whole life," said Bernard Petit, accusing Philippe Lemaître of "lying all the time".

"Philippe Lemaître's version is marked by too many dodges, contradictions, inconsistencies," said the prosecutor.

"There were leaks in this procedure, that's for sure. (...) It is nevertheless not possible to determine with certainty the exact content and origin of this information", he said. added.

"There is nothing to say, even today, that Bernard Petit and Richard Atlan have communicated in any way whatsoever information covered by the secrecy of the investigation", he insisted.

The investigation of which the former top cops are suspected of having violated the secrecy constitutes the first part of this affair.

Two years in prison required against Christophe Rocancourt 

In this first part, "the swindler of the stars" Christophe Rocancourt and the lawyer Marcel Ceccaldi are suspected of having, at the beginning of 2014, tried to have two Moroccan sisters regularized by asking Christian Prouteau and the former Secretary of State Kofi Yamgnane to intervene, for a fee.

The public prosecutor requested four years' imprisonment, including two years, as well as a fine of 30,000 euros against Christophe Rocancourt, who was also tried for other offenses.

Two years in prison, including one firm, were requested for Christian Prouteau and Kofi Yamgnane, with a fine of 40,000 euros for the first and 20,000 euros for the second.

Three years in prison, two of which are firm, a fine of 50,000 euros and a permanent ban on practicing have been requested against Me Ceccaldi.

The indictment continued Monday afternoon.