Paris (AFP)

The prosecution requested Monday two to four years in prison against relatives of Serge Dassault, suspected of having participated in a vote buying system during the municipal elections of 2009 and 2010 in Corbeil-Essonnes (Essonne).

The trial of six people - including Jean-Pierre Bechter, the former LR mayor of this town located south of Paris - resumed Monday after a third suspension linked to a case of Covid-19 among defense lawyers.

"The facts are extremely serious," said the financial prosecutor Patrice Amar in his indictment.

“We have never seen in France a city delivered to such a degree of corruption and civic decomposition,” he continued.

Against Mr. Bechter, 75, ex-right-hand man of Serge Dassault and head of the list at the time of the facts, he requested 4 years in prison and 100,000 euros fine, stressing that, "given his age and state of health ", the defendant could benefit from a modification of sentence.

The magistrate asked for two years in prison as well as a 15,000 euros fine for two former deputies at the town hall, Jacques Lebigre, 79 years old and Christelle de Oliveira, 41 years old, as well as for three alleged intermediaries, Younès Bounouara (48 years old) , Machiré Gassama (43 years old) and Mounir Labidi (36 years old) - on the run since the start of the investigation.

For all of them, he required 5 years of ineligibility.

Since the start of the trial, on October 5, the defendants have refuted the existence of a system of pyramidal electoral corruption during the two municipal by-elections of 2009 and 2010.

According to the prosecution, this system consisted of recruiting teams of lobbyists in the neighborhoods, who were in charge of convincing residents to vote for Mr. Bechter in exchange for donations, promises of housing or employment.

All fueled by millions of euros from the fortune of Serge Dassault.

"Posthumously", Patrice Amar has also symbolically "requested" against the billionaire, who died in 2018 at the age of 93, "the 5 years of imprisonment" that he would have "incurred" if he had been returned to court.

Indicted in this case in 2014, the aircraft manufacturer had recognized "donations" but denied any connection with the elections, claiming to be the victim of extortion by individuals "informed of his generosity".

Defense arguments are scheduled to continue on Tuesday and the decision will then be reserved.

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