- Suspected of drug trafficking, a Tourquennois appears without a lawyer during his criminal trial where he risks 20 years in prison.
- His former lawyer challenges the holding of this trial when he was not available.
- In October 2017, an investigation led to the arrest of 25 people suspected of being linked to a drug trafficking network.
Without a lawyer. Rarely has a trial of this importance seen an accused defend himself alone. This will be the case of a Tourquennois, Karim H. whose hearing began on Monday at the Lille Criminal Court. It is scheduled to end on March 17.
In the company of Karim H., they are 24 to appear, suspected of belonging to a vast international network of drug trafficking installed in the metropolis of Lille. In October 2017, an investigation by the Jirs (specialized interregional jurisdiction) of Lille resulted in the arrest of several people.
Spectacular drug seizures
Spectacular seizures were carried out in the Lille districts of Fives and Moulins, or even in Marcq-en-Barœul and as far as Menen. Thousands of euros have been found in safes, as well as cocaine, heroin or cannabis in large quantities.
For the investigators, the head of the network is Karim H., a Tourquennois known to the justice system. Aged 44, he has already been sentenced to 45 years in prison and is on file for organized crime. In 2003, he had notably been sentenced to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking. During his arrest, in 2017, he was on the run, escaped from Melun prison.
Scandalous violation of the rights of the defense
Incarcerated since, in solitary confinement at the Annoeullin detention center, he therefore appeared on Monday before the judge without his lawyer, Me Charles Lecointre, who denounced the method. "Since November, I had warned that I was unavailable between March 4 and 11, detained by a trial at the assizes, explains the lawyer to 20 Minutes . However, I learned at the end of January that the dates from March 9 to 17 were maintained. It is a scandalous attack on the rights of the defense. "
The Lille lawyer therefore decided to withdraw from the file to allow an officially appointed lawyer to provide the defense, however. According to our information, no other lawyer was proposed to the accused because of the heaviness of the file. “Two women who were also scheduled to appear from Monday were able to get tried later. But this postponement was refused to my former client, ”laments Me Lecointre. Reason: "Without you, the trial does not make sense," the judge told Karim H., according to La Voix du Nord .
In this case, the Tourquennois faces 20 years in prison.
Lille
Suspected of drug trafficking, they are released due to a procedural error
Lille
Six arrests in Lille in the dismantling of a drug trafficking network
- Justice
- Lawyer
- Lille
- Trial
- Drug traffic