The Bouches-du-Rhône Assize Court of Appeal, which is reviewing the Pastor case, requested Tuesday the hearing as a witness of the Minister of Justice, Eric Dupond-Moretti, who was the lawyer for the main accused in the trial at first instance, in which he asserted the guilt of his client.
"
President Patrick Ramaël announced this morning during the hearing the sending of this letter to the Prime Minister to request the appearance of Eric Dupont-Moretti
", declared the court of appeal to AFP, confirming the initial information from Nice-Matin.
To read also "I'm afraid": the last words of Hélène Pastor to the investigator
Since October 18, the court has tried five of the alleged protagonists of the assassinations of Monegasque billionaire Hélène Pastor and her trusted man, Mohamed Darwich, on May 6, 2014 in Nice. Among them, Hélène Pastor's son-in-law, Wojciech Janowski, alleged sponsor, was sentenced to life in 2018. Described as a manipulator by the prosecution, Wojciech Janowski has changed positions several times in this case. He had confessed in police custody, before retracting and staying on this line throughout the first trial. In a spectacular and unusual twist, Me Éric Dupond-Moretti had nevertheless launched, in his final argument: “
Wojciech Janowski is guilty of having ordered the assassination of Hélène Pastor. These words that you expected from him come out of my mouth
”.
Pleaded guilty against his will
A few months later, Wojciech Janowski had attacked Me Dupond-Moretti, assuring that he had pleaded guilty against his will.
At the opening of this new trial, the ex-companion of Sylvia Ratkowski-Pastor, the billionaire's daughter, again proclaimed his innocence, assuring that his former lawyer had "
betrayed
" and had "
pleaded guilty to ( s) in place
”.
Wojciech Janowski's current lawyer, Me Jean-Jacques Campana, did not wish to react to this letter.
For other lawyers present at the trial, however, this request for a summons has little chance of success.
See also Assassination of Hélène Pastor: the former son-in-law of the Monegasque billionaire remains in prison
“
The possible deposition of the Keeper of the Seals would pose a problem of professional secrecy.
And if he did come forward, I will not ask him the slightest question because that would give credit to Janowski who has absolutely no more
”, responded Me Gérard Baudoux, one of the lawyers of Hélène Pastor's son, Gildo Pallanca-Pastor, requested by AFP.
Contacted by AFP, the Ministry of Justice referred to Matignon, who had not yet reacted on Tuesday afternoon.
The Pastor trial is scheduled to last until November 19.
Wednesday must be heard the children of Hélène Pastor, Gildo and Sylvia, who shared 28 years of her life with the main accused.
