Pointe-à-Pitre (AFP)
The guards of President LREM of the Guadeloupe Region, Ary Chalus, and his vice-president, Marie-Luce Penchard, have been lifted, announced the public prosecutor of Basse-Terre, Jean-Luc Lennon, on Wednesday. late afternoon.
Convened in the premises of the judicial police Abymes Wednesday morning, Ary Chalus, and Marie-Luce Penchard, also Mayor of Basse-Terre and former Minister of Overseas in the Fillon governments, were notified of their custody. at 8:50 am (1:50 pm Paris time), told AFP the prosecutor of Basse-Terre, Jean-Luc Lennon.
Mr. Chalus is a member of the executive board of LREM, and Ms. Penchard is the daughter of Lucette Michaux-Chevry, 90, former minister of Jacques Chirac and former president of the agglomeration community Grand South Caribbean (Guadeloupe).
The investigation concerns suspicions of embezzlement of public funds in connection with the hiring of the former CFO of the community of Saint-Martin and current general manager of SEM Patrimoniale in Guadeloupe, Pascal Averne. He himself was taken into custody two weeks ago before coming out free.
Indeed, between January 2015 and April 30, 2018, he held the position of Chief of Staff at the Town Hall of Basse-Terre and Inspector General of Services at the Regional Council of Guadeloupe.
"It is the overlapping of these recruitment that challenges," says Lennon, as well as "the terms of recruitment."
The investigation continues, because it is necessary "to carry out analyzes in particular on the reconstitution of career of Mr. Averne, because the investigation relates only to the part of the duplication and the double remuneration by the communities", specified the public prosecutor.
© 2019 AFP