Marseilles (AFP)
The thirteen civil parties in the Guérini brothers' trial claimed Tuesday before the Marseille Criminal Court for more than 14.6 million euros in damages or non-pecuniary damage to the eleven defendants tried in particular for their participation in the rigging of public contracts.
"For us, it is a question of principle. We must restore the brand image of democracy in our region, tell citizens that corruption is not inevitable, that such facts must be punished", explained at the bar the former financial judge Jean-Pierre Zanoto, administrator of the association "Transparency International" civil party in the trial.
The former president of the General Council of Bouches-du-Rhône Jean-Noël Guérini has been on trial since June 15 before the criminal court with his brother Alexandre, entrepreneur in waste management, alongside nine other defendants - elected officials, territorial officials , directors of companies - and the company SMA Environnement of Alexandre Guérini.
No less than ten cases of which Alexandre Guérini is the central figure, are examined by the court, his brother Jean-Noël being prosecuted for only one case.
Justice accuses him of having pre-empted and then sold land belonging to the Semaire family to help Alexandre who needed it to enlarge a landfill and honor a contract made with an urban community.
Thirteen civil parties were formed at the trial.
Among them, the General Council of Bouches-du-Rhône claimed 30,000 euros in damages from Jean-Noël Guérini, his brother Alexandre and the latter's company SMAE.
He also asks for 5,000 euros from the former chief of staff of the President of the General Council, Remy Bargès, accused of destroying evidence.
The Aix-Marseille-Provence metropolis representing three civil parties, requested 9.2 million euros from Alexandre Guérini, the SMAE, Philippe Rapezzi, ex officio manager of this company, and Alain Belviso, the former president of the agglomeration of the country of Aubagne, which would have to pay on its own, 5% of this sum (460,000 euros).
Four members of the family of the former owner of the Semaire land claimed 270,000 euros, to compensate for the loss of rent after the pre-emption of their land, and 40,000 euros in moral damage, for the pressure suffered by them forced to sell, to Jean-Noël and Alexandre Guérini and the SMAE.
Another company, Somedis, sold to a subsidiary of Véolia under contentious conditions with the intervention of Alexandre Guérini, claimed 119,000 euros, Transparency 60,000 euros, Anticor 120,000 euros and two companies injured by rigged calls for tenders, ISF environment and Coved, 5 million euros.
The requisitions are expected Wednesday.
© 2021 AFP