At La Défense, end of June 2020. -

ROMUALD MEIGNEUX

All for nothing.

On Monday, the Nanterre court annulled all of the investigative acts in the alleged corruption case of "the boiler room of the Defense", ruling that the procedure, having lasted almost twenty years, had not respected the right of accused persons to be tried within a reasonable time.

This "unreasonable duration deprives two of the main defendants [aged 98 and 82] of their ability to fully defend themselves" because of "disorders related to old age and their state of health", justified Olivier Protard, the president of the 15th criminal chamber of the court, thus ending the trial on the first day of the hearing.

One of the oldest files from the Nanterre court

Highly anticipated, this trial was to settle one of the oldest cases in the Nanterre court, the opening of a judicial investigation dating back to 2002. Another feature, he judged one of the oldest defendants in France, Jean Bonnefont, a former leader of the former -Charbonnages de France aged 98 years.

"The time limit for the procedure has been nineteen years and seven months until today", recalled President Protard.

"It is not disputed that the case [presented] a complex character, but it did not justify the continuation of an investigative procedure for nearly twenty years", he continued.

"Historic decision"

The court also regretted that Jean Bonnefont was "no longer able because of his physical fragility (...) to attend his trial when he had wished".

Another defendant, Bernard Forterre, 82 years old and former number 3 of the Compagnie Générale des Eaux-Vivendi, was present on Monday at the opening of the trial but his very fragile state of health would only have allowed him to be present at certain hearings.

"The length of the proceedings against them necessarily adversely affected them", Olivier Protard justified, it "makes it impossible to pursue a fair and equitable procedure".

Olivier Baratelli, lawyer for Jean Bonnefont, hailed a "historic decision".

"For the first time, a French court highlights the predominance of human rights and the fundamental principles advocated by Europe over simple French rules".

The prosecution has ten days to appeal.

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  • Corruption

  • Trial

  • Nanterre

  • Paris

  • Defense

  • Justice