The Bastia vice-prosecutor requested Wednesday, October 28, a suspended year in prison against the former president of the Corsican executive council, Paul Giacobbi, on trial in a case of “embezzlement of public funds”.
The prosecution also requested a 50,000 euros fine and five years of ineligibility against the former strongman of political life in Haute-Corse.
To read also: Gilles Simeoni: "The situation in Corsica is extremely worrying"
An investigation was opened by the economic and financial pole of the Bastia public prosecutor's office, after the publication on March 22, 2018 of an audit by the regional chamber of accounts on the management of the Corsica Transport Office (OTC).
This audit pointed out in particular that "on two occasions, in 2014 and 2015, the OTC had (...) incurred expenses without having to do so a mandate from the CTC (Territorial Collectivity of Corsica) or authorization of its board of directors ”.
In the first case, "1.8 million euros were thus paid to the Compagnie Méridionale de Navigation (CMN) for the chartering of a ship", Le Pélican, during the strike of the SNCM shipping company, had asserted the room in its report.
The second case concerns aid of 228,000 euros granted by the CTC to the CMN to import and transport fodder for animals by sea.
Justice considers that this device has been put in place in no legal framework.
The bill of 228,000 euros was finally never paid to the CMN, according to the debates during the hearing.
Giacobbi denies any misappropriation of funds.
He was definitively sentenced in 2019 in the so-called “rural lodgings” case of Haute-Corse, to three years in prison, five years of ineligibility and a fine of 25,000 euros for embezzlement of public funds to the detriment of the department de Haute-Corse, which he chaired from 1998 to 2010. The decision has been reserved and will be rendered on January 26, 2021.
