A judicial investigation was opened Tuesday, February 16 and entrusted to an investigating judge after the death in Toulon prison of a suspected member of the Corsican criminal gang of "
Petit Bar
", the Toulon prosecutor said on Tuesday.
Read also: An alleged member of the "Petit Bar" gang commits suicide in prison
This judicial investigation aims to determine the causes of the death of Stéphane Raybier, found dead in an individual cell on Sunday at 5.15 p.m., Marseille prosecutor Dominique Laurens said in a statement.
He committed suicide by hanging, a source close to the investigation said on Tuesday.
"
No restriction on access to the phone booth or mail has been opposed to Stéphane Raybier,
" said the prosecutor in a statement, contesting statements by Raybier's lawyer, Me Allison Sebag.
"
His only request formulated
", concerning his lawyer, "
was recorded on February 12, 2021 and (...) granted by the remand center without prior notice from the investigating magistrates
", detailed the prosecutor, adding that the first meeting between the detainee and his lawyer was scheduled for Tuesday, February 16.
"
I wonder about the responsibility, either of the penitentiary center, or of the magistrates jointly seized, since while it is an elementary right and essential to the exercise of the defense, my client did not have access to the telephone booth for a month that he has been in detention,
”Mr. Sebag said in particular on Monday.
On January 10, a crackdown was carried out in the investigation into "
the laundering of illicit activities
" of the Corsican criminal gang known as the "
Petit Bar
", during which twenty people had been arrested in Ajaccio and Paris.
Stéphane Raybier was arrested in the Paris region and remanded in custody following his indictment by the Specialized Interregional Jurisdiction (JIRS) of Marseille for money laundering in an organized gang aggravated by offenses of tax fraud and drug trafficking, association of criminals and non-justification of resources.
In all, ten people had been indicted in this case.
Some were placed in pre-trial detention, including the alleged leader of the criminal gang Jacques Santoni, severely disabled.
The investigation allowed "
to highlight the handling of cash, many international financial movements as well as suspect real estate investments, all involving sums greatly exceeding the declared income of the accused
", then indicated the prosecutor. from Marseille Dominique Laurens.
