Corruption at European Parliament: four-year sentence sought against Rachida Dati
The national financial prosecutor sought four years in prison, two of them custodial, on Monday against former minister Rachida Dati for corruption and influence-peddling in favour of Renault-Nissan.
Severe sentencing recommendations against Dati in Renault-Nissan trial
The national financial prosecutor (PNF) sought four years in prison on Monday, two years of which custodial and adjustable, against Rachida Dati, tried in Paris for corruption and influence-peddling, according to lcp.fr. The former minister under Nicolas Sarkozy and Emmanuel Macron is accused of having carried out illegal lobbying activities at the European Parliament on behalf of the Renault-Nissan alliance between October 2009 and February 2013, in exchange for 900,000 euros.
The PNF also sought five years of ineligibility, five years' ban from holding public office and five years' ban from practising as a lawyer, with immediate effect for these additional penalties. The custodial part of the prison sentence is adjustable, without the prosecutor having explicitly requested a particular arrangement — judges generally order electronic tagging.
If the court followed these recommendations in its judgment, Rachida Dati would immediately lose her mandate as mayor of the 7th arrondissement of Paris. Her recent reintegration into the judiciary, pending an appointment, would also be blocked. The Higher Council of the Judiciary must rule on her assignment following the closure of proceedings.
"Betrayal of virtue and exemplary conduct"
After four hours of closing arguments, the two representatives of the PNF denounced in Ms Dati "a betrayal of virtue and exemplary conduct", "a spirit of greed, avarice" and a "desire to capitalise on a public mandate, disregarding her function, to rake in as much profit as possible". Prosecutor Julien Augereau furthermore considered it "unthinkable" that Rachida Dati's reintegration into the judiciary could continue "without seriously damaging the image of justice".
A Member of the European Parliament at the time of the alleged acts, the 60-year-old Parisian is suspected of having struck a corruption deal with Carlos Ghosn, then chief executive officer of Renault. A lawyer's fee agreement signed on 28 October 2009 — providing for an annual fixed remuneration of 300,000 euros excluding tax — would constitute, according to the prosecution, merely a contractual disguise concealing an unlawful lobbying mission within the European hemicycle.
Against Carlos Ghosn, tried in absentia whilst he is a fugitive in Lebanon, the PNF also sought four years in prison with the arrest warrant maintained, denouncing a "business leader who considered himself the equal of heads of state".
Lack of probative evidence at the heart of the case
Rachida Dati has maintained throughout the proceedings that she genuinely worked as a lawyer for Renault-Nissan, enabling the alliance to make progress on strategic matters in countries such as Morocco, Algeria and Iran. But prosecutor Augereau noted that of this legal work, within a company with 200 people in its legal department, "there is practically no trace allowing the services that Rachida Dati claims to have provided to be substantiated. No notes, no email, no report, no meetings".
The defence responded on this point two hours later. "Even when there is little evidence, that is evidence of work (…). Rather like an aeroplane that passes through the sky and leaves a vapour trail. Even when the aeroplane has gone, that vapour trail leaves incontestable proof that an aeroplane passed", pleaded Mr Antoine Beauquier.
Chronology at the heart of the accusation
For the prosecutor, the chronology of the case demonstrates "beyond a shadow of a doubt" that Rachida Dati sought from her election to the European Parliament to "capitalise on her access to decision-makers". Two days after leaving government, on 23 June 2009, and three weeks before the start of her European mandate, she created a consulting firm. On 30 June, she sent a letter of service offer to Carlos Ghosn.
She ultimately wound up this firm to become a lawyer, thereby benefiting from client confidentiality. This choice would have been made to "circumvent" the prohibition preventing a Member of the European Parliament from conducting strategic consulting or lobbying activities, according to the PNF.
Defence cries out against "civil death"
At the opening of the defence's closing arguments, Mr Beauquier strongly contested the severity of the sentencing recommendations. "What is being sought against Ms Dati is civil death. They want to ban her from the profession of lawyer, the profession of judge, the status of elected official", he declared. The defence is seeking an acquittal for its client.
Following the closing arguments of Rachida Dati's lawyers, the decision will be taken into deliberation. The court will hand down its judgment in the coming months.
Source: Google News LU FR