A job at the town hall and housing in exchange for the "
sabotage
" of the FN list: Charles Dalmasso, PS municipal councilor of Allauch, near Marseille, was sentenced Monday to four years in prison, including two years suspended.
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Sentenced for complicity in corruption and obstruction of the voting operations by fraudulent maneuvers, even if these did not succeed, the 61-year-old man will be able to serve part of his sentence at home under electronic surveillance.
He was also deprived of his civil and civic rights for five years, including the right to vote and eligibility.
"I didn't know it was bribery"
The facts date back to February 2014, when Charles Dalmasso held the position of security assistant to Roland Povinelli, socialist mayor of Allauch from 1975 until his death in May 2020, between the two rounds of municipal elections.
The investigation was only opened in 2019, after the publication in the daily
La Marseillaise
of recordings establishing that Roland Povinelli and Charles Dalmasso had proposed to a young activist to appear on the FN list (now RN) to withdraw at the last moment, with a few other running mates, in order to prevent the list from being filed in the prefecture.
In exchange, the young man was offered a job at the town hall and accommodation.
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"
I'm going to have a letter sent to your house by my director of personnel telling you that from the end of April 2014 you can be recruited at the town hall
", the former mayor had said in particular, according to the transcripts made by the investigators. A two-room apartment had also been offered to him, with an appointment the next day in the municipal services. The young running mate had not followed up and had not withdrawn. But he had waited several years to reveal these facts.
At the hearing, on December 13, the prosecution had requested four years in prison against Charles Dalmasso, demanding a warrant of committal.
"
You are not on the front line, (...) but you knowingly participated very actively in the offense committed by Roland Povinelli
", declared the president of the court.
“
I didn't know it was corruption, all I did was do Roland Povinelli a favor
,” Charles Dalmasso justified himself to the investigators.
His lawyer, Me Anne-Sophie Grardel, has announced her intention to appeal, because, she argues, the facts would be time-barred.