Did Ikea
"flirt"
employees, hiring candidates and customers for several years, in a
"massive" way
?
For prosecutor Paméla Tabardel, the answer is yes.
"There is a certain gravity of the facts which is reflected"
, she insisted during her indictment on Tuesday, March 30, on the sixth day of the Ikea trial.
A hearing with high "
stake
", despite "
imperfections
" in the file that the prosecutor recognizes and that the lawyers of the file, both on the defense side and on the civil party side, have continued to denounce.
Read also: Suspected of having "fled" employees and customers, Ikea facing justice
Against the company Ikea France, as a legal person, the representative of the public prosecutor demanded a
"strong message"
, in this case a fine of two million euros.
"Ikea does not recognize its responsibility
" while
"it is both the support of this fraud and the beneficiary of this data collection by deriving an organizational advantage"
, regretted Paméla Tabardel.
In theory, the company faces a fine of up to 3.75 million euros.
Read also: Ikea trial: unions and (ex-) leaders clash at the bar
Against three former leaders, the magistrate made very different demands: three years in prison, two of which were suspended for Jean-Louis B., director general from 1996 to 2009;
an acquittal for Stefan V., CEO from 2010 to 2015;
two years in prison and a 10,000 euro fine for Dariusz R., former administrative and financial director.
"We have spoken at length about the rule of 'four eyes', concerning the signatures of invoices, but we are rather dealing with the rule of 'four eyes closed' since we sign, but eyes closed,"
said the prosecutor ironically.
"Not a whistleblower"
Paméla Tabardel has also called for
"a firm sentence"
- three years in prison, two of which are suspended - against Jean-François P., who is in her eyes
"the central player in this file
".
The former director of the risk management department is one of the few to assume his responsibilities.
“Indeed, we can praise his effort of honesty and transparency.
He was able to give us keys in this case.
But he is not a whistleblower, it is not he who put an end to the facts, it is the unions and the press ”
, underlined the magistrate.
To read also: Ikea trial: the mea-culpa of the framework at the heart of "mass controls"
The magistrate requested a year of suspended prison sentence and a 10,000 euros fine against Sylvie W. The former assistant to Jean-François P. denies having been aware of illegal searches, which the prosecutor does not judge not credible.
The latter also asked the court to pronounce
"warning sentences"
, ranging from six months in prison suspended to two years in prison suspended and 5,000 euros fine, against two former store managers and of their former security officials.
Read also: At the Ikea trial, the astonishing control of employees in the Avignon store
On the specific case of Claire H., who was human resources director of Ikea France then co-director of the Franconville store, the representative of the public prosecutor reluctantly requested an acquittal.
“Claire H. has shown particular bad faith.
I am sure she was aware of these practices.
But there are no material elements concerning her during the material period.
The elements are, I think, insufficient, even if we are not fooled. "
"Impact on the lives of several people"
Focusing on the four police officers suspected of having consulted their computer file, the Stic, to inform Ikea, the prosecutor proposed sentences ranging from six months in prison suspended to two years in prison suspended and 5,000 euros fine.
In the eyes of Paméla Tabardel,
"the official most involved"
is Alain S., former police commander.
“He did not dispute the facts - 229 consultations with the Stic relating to 151 people - but I underline his absence.
He did not deign to go to court, ”
she lamented.
Read also: Ikea trial: the hunt for responsibilities
Finally, against Jean-Pierre F., former private investigator, Paméla Tabardel requested
"a firm sentence, which will be considered severe"
: two years in prison, one of which is suspended.
The septuagenarian has always denied having asked the police to conduct research on the Stic.
"We wonder about the sincerity of his statements,"
cracked the magistrate.
"He must understand that his actions, which have continued over many years, have had an impact on the lives of many people."
The hearing will now continue until the end of the week with defense lawyers' pleadings.
The fifteen individuals warned as well as the representative of the legal entity Ikea France will have the floor last, before the criminal court of Versailles puts its judgment under advisement on a date still unknown.