Toulouse (AFP)
Five years of ineligibility with immediate application and 18 to 24 months suspended prison sentence were required Thursday against the mayor of Montauban Brigitte Barèges (LR), tried in Toulouse in a case of alleged embezzlement of public funds, AFP found .
During his requisitions, the prosecutor Laurent Couderc pointed to a "misuse of the use of public funds" in "total opacity", asking in addition to the suspended prison sentence and five years of ineligibility "with provisional execution", a fine of 15,000 euros.
During the correctional hearing which lasted more than 12 hours, Ms. Barèges recognized a lack of "rigor", even a certain "confusion", while categorically denying on several occasions any misappropriation of public funds.
The case, where she is the main implicated, takes place between 2012 and 2014. At the time, Ms. Barèges was both mayor of Montauban and candidate for re-election to municipal.
Its former communications officer Jean-Paul Fourment, ousted from his post following a disciplinary procedure, tells the courts that he was paid by the community to write articles laudatory to Ms. Barèges in Le Petit Journal, a local publication.
In 2015, the mayor and former Member of Parliament was indicted for "embezzlement of public funds by a person holding public authority or invested with a public service mission".
Mr. Fourment and the director of the Petit Journal, Alain Paga, are indicted for "concealment of embezzled public funds".
And the former chief of staff of the mayor, Stéphane Bensmaine, is meanwhile prosecuted for "complicity in the misappropriation of embezzled public funds".
Thursday, the prosecutor requested 10 to 12 months suspended prison sentence against Mr. Fourment, 12 months suspended prison sentence and 5,000 euros fine against Mr. Paga, and nothing against Mr. Bensmaine.
Ms. Barèges won mayoralty in 2001, ending 36 years of socialist power, after a campaign focused on the fight against corruption and insecurity.
Known for her remarks deemed homophobic and xenophobic, Brigitte Barèges has always denied the allegations in this case.
© 2020 AFP