Henri Jibrayel during his trial in 2020 -

Mathilde Ceilles / 20 Minutes

  • The former socialist deputy of Marseille Henri Jibrayel is accused of having organized cruises for the benefit of elderly people in his sector. 

  • These cruises would have electoral aims according to the prosecution. 

  • Henri Jibrayel claims his innocence. 

"The jerk, everyone knows he was on board, because including the day of the cruise, he was photographed," launches a SNCM executive to another in a telephone conversation intercepted by investigators, while he has just been auditioned.

The “asshole” here is better known in Marseille under the name of Henri Jibrayel.

In his black suit, the former heavyweight of the Marseille left is quite annoyed at having to explain himself to the bar of the criminal court, he, the son of a Lebanese immigrant "born at the bottom of a horse box" who, he swears, "don't cheat".

This political retiree, long deputy for the northern districts and general councilor, has kept at the helm this eloquence of the top ballot boxes that he no longer really has.

The public of yesterday's public meetings gave way to a small number of magistrates, who questioned him on Monday on alleged facts of breach of trust and illegal taking of interest.

Associations “rolling for” Jibrayel

Elected to the Palais Bourbon in 2007 then re-elected in 2012, Henri Jibrayel is suspected of having organized in May 2011 and June 2012 four mini-cruises offered to the elderly, a popular electorate, via senior citizens clubs in his constituency.

At each sea trip, 600 seniors were embarked aboard a former SNCM ferry for a day in the creeks.

"What is reproached to you is for having been behind the organization of these trips to sea", launches the president of the Marseille Criminal Court, Céline Ballérini.

Outings "funded by associations that rolled" for the deputy, according to Céline Ballérini, with, in the background, an "electoral" aim, according to the terms of the prosecution.

These associations, all from his constituency that Henri Jibrayel calls his “territory”, or even his “home”, in fact lived exclusively on subsidies granted by the departmental council in which Henri Jibrayel was sitting at the time of the facts.

Simple "relay"?

According to several presidents of associations of the third age of this district, these outings were perceived as a “gift from Henri Jibrayel”, who was present during the meeting of presentation of this cruise by the organizing association.

An association whose president, a port crane operator who appears alongside the former deputy, seemed little involved in the organization of these cruises, unlike its vice-president, who is now deceased, an association activist expert in subsidies, and incidentally… parliamentary attaché for Henri Jibrayel.

Worse still, Henri Jibrayel would have intervened in the negotiation on the tariffs, in the choice of dates, having gone so far as to visit the boats.

A leading role that the former parliamentarian is contesting en bloc, which is a simple "relay" between the association of his employee and the chairman of the SNCM board.

"I am asked to play the intermediary," he annoys.

I did not play a role other than that of an MP

.

What is an elected official?

An elected official, we ask him for services, it's normal to help his constituents!

"

And to recall that, if electoral maneuver there is behind this political turmoil that is the cruise business, it had not worked, since the deputy was swept away by the LREM wave in 2017 ... It remains to be seen whether this argument will convince the Advocate General during his indictment this Tuesday.

Justice

Marseille: A new clientelism trial opens with former deputy Henri Jibrayel

Justice

Marseille: A former PS deputy tried for breach of trust and illegal taking of interests

  • Marseilles

  • Cruises

  • Socialist

  • Deputy

  • Trial

  • Breach of trust