Eighteen months in prison to be carried out under an electronic bracelet were required this Tuesday against the former PS deputy and former mayor of Velaux, near Aix-en-Provence, Jean-Pierre Maggi, accused in particular of having favored the hiring of his companion, relatives and young people from his town in the fire department.
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Four years in prison, including these 18 months closed, and a deprivation of civil and civic rights for five years were claimed against the one who was mayor of Velaux between 1977 and 2020 and deputy from 2012 to 2017, prosecuted in particular for "
Illegal taking of interests
", favoritism and embezzlement.
In his requisitions, the prosecutor denounced "
behavior that weakens the democratic system and the social pact
", believing that the elected official had "
appropriated for personal purposes the powers at his disposal to serve the public interest
".
"
Mr. Maggi is collapsed, overwhelmed
" by the requisitions, assured his lawyer Me Gilbert Sindrès.
The former mayor has been on trial since Monday for promoting the hiring and career development of his partner, her son and son-in-law, within the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (Sdis) of Bouches -du-Rhône, which he chaired from 1997 to 2013. He admitted having made "
mistakes
".
Mr. Maggi is also criticized for recruiting many young people from his town and the canton in which he was elected to occupy, in the summer, the positions of seasonal workers at Sdis.
Mr. Maggi spoke of his concern "to
find a solution for the children of Velaux
".
In another section, the former deputy is also tried for favoritism and embezzlement of public funds, linked to the creation, in 2007, of a training center in technological and industrial risks in Fos-sur-Mer.
Luc Jorda, 71, director of the public establishment from 1997 to 2014, appeared alongside him for these facts.
For the prosecution, the two defendants "
incredibly
" favored a company specializing in training in industrial risks by making public land available to it for its private activity and by seconding three officers to this center.
The defense pleaded for the release of the two defendants.
"
I have the impression that he is being prosecuted for having wanted the excellence of Sdis
", said Me Gaëtan Di Marino, defender of Luc Jorda.
“
Clientelism, I don't know what it is, I have never needed such practices.
My idea was to help people
”, hammered Jean-Pierre Maggi throughout the hearing.
The judgment is due on Thursday.
