Suspicion of "illegal taking of interests": Minister Sébastien Lecornu questioned by investigators

Overseas Minister Sébastien Lecornu was questioned on April 15 in Nanterre by the anti-corruption police on his past activities at the head of the Eure department, the subject of an investigation by the national financial prosecutor's office for "illegal taking of interests "AFP learned Tuesday from a source close to the matter. The minister was heard in hearing of free suspect by the police officers of the Central Office for the fight against corruption and financial and fiscal offenses (OCLCIFF) according to this source, confirming information from

.

This investigation, unveiled in January by

and

, has been open since March 2019 on charges of "illegal taking of interests" and "failure to report to the High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life".

Director of Société des autoroutes Paris Normandie at the same time as department chairman

According to

, this investigation was born following a letter from a "banker of local communities converted into energy" sent in January 2019 to the head of the PNF at the time, Eliane Houlette.

In his declaration to the High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life (HATVP), Sébastien Lecornu claims to have received between July 2016 and June 2017 a total of 7,874 euros gross of "attendance fees" as director of the Société des autoroutes Paris Normandie (SAPN).

But Sébastien Lecornu was at the same time president of the department of Eure, and has, "as such, approved several deliberations" of the community relating to the SAPN, at least four according to

, five according to

.

The minister defends himself 

Asked in January by AFP, the cabinet of the 34-year-old minister, had indicated that "this mandate was exercised by Sébastien Lecornu in a completely transparent way, being the subject of classic legal publications and a declaration to the HATVP" .

"Sébastien Lecornu simply pursued a historic practice, following his election, by sitting for a year on the Board of SAPN", it was added.

"The management of the road network has always been associated with the public sphere. When in 2005 the motorways were granted by the State to private operators, it was necessary to maintain (...) close links with the authorities public "and" as such, the departments of Calvados, Seine-Maritime and Eure are minority shareholders of SAPN and, therefore, participate in the general meeting, "said the cabinet. "The presence of the presidents of the departmental council makes it possible to make the voice of the territories heard, relaying the public imperatives, with regard to the motorway projects which cross the department," they insisted.