The mayor of Colmar Éric Straumann (LR) was sentenced Monday by the criminal court of Mulhouse (Haut-Rhin) to a fine of 5,000 euros, including 2,000 euros suspended, and six months of suspended ineligibility for
"
attempted embezzlement
of
public funds
.
“I am going to appeal this conviction
,” Mr. Straumann responded to AFP, believing that
“the offense is not characterized
. ”
The case begins with the decision, taken just before the municipal elections of June 2020 by Éric Straumann's predecessor, Gilbert Meyer, to retroactively increase the compensation of his chief of staff Joël Munsch.
This decision was ratified by two municipal decrees, shortly before Gilbert Meyer was replaced by Éric Straumann at town hall.
Gilbert Meyer died a few weeks later, in September 2020.
Alerted by his services, the new mayor Éric Straumann canceled the decision of his predecessor in September, which did not prevent proceedings against him.
“We contest any form of criminal liability
,” Pierre Schultz, the elected official’s lawyer, told AFP.
Transition period at town hall
Mr. Straumann
“inherited a legal situation of which he was not the originator since the municipal decrees were taken by his predecessor.
At the time, there was a transition at town hall.
The question was asked whether it was necessary to execute these orders.
As part of his taking office, this was not a priority file
,” continued the lawyer.
“He procrastinated for a few days, he took legal advice, but there was no attempt to misappropriate public property
,” he assured.
“In addition, the orders have been withdrawn, there is zero harm to the community because there was no payment
. ”
“It is the execution of the municipal decree which is blamed”
on Éric Straumann, Mulhouse prosecutor Edwige Roux-Morizot told AFP.
“This was paid three times, despite alerts from services
,” who refused to make the transfers, she added.
The former chief of staff, Joël Munsch, was also sentenced to a 3,000 euro fine and three years of ineligibility, with provisional execution, for complicity in attempted embezzlement of public funds.
“We are going to appeal
,” said his lawyer Thomas Grimal.
“Mr.
Munsch was not aware of the illegality of his request and most people from the different services are also surprised that the retroactivity of compensation is impossible, since it would seem that this is (a) usual practice
.