The prosecution on Thursday, October 20, requested a two-year prison sentence against former minister Kader Arif, accused in the Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR) of awarding a €60,000 government contract to a company run by his brother. In 2014
If the amounts involved “modest“, “such behavior indicates an unacceptable concept of the state, which contradicts the principles of exemplarity and honesty;“What is expected of a public official,” said Francois Molin, chief prosecutor of the Court of Cassation, which is prosecuting CJR. He also demanded a fine of 15,000 euros and a ban on holding public positions for five years.
betrayal of trust
Kader Arif, the former minister’s deputy then-Secretary of State for Veterans Affairs who resigned in November 2014, has been on trial since Wednesday for “taking illegal benefits, violation of freedom of access to equal public contracts and embezzlement of public funds“. He is accused of entering into a no-compete agreement in March 2014.media training60,000 euros between MoD and an unnamed company All Access run by his brother Aisa Arif.
Believing he hadbetrayed the trust“put into him, striving”help his family with his duties“, François Molin also expressed his wish “masking” connections between his brother and the company that won the contract. Because the service was billed when only one of the six sessions was completed, he also ruled that “embezzlement of state fundswas well composed.
“We could even ask ourselves if we are not facing a purely fictitious operation with the sole purpose of providing public funds to Aisa Arif’s company.“The brother of the former minister. Kader Arif’s lawyers were due to submit their pleas by the end of the morning.
Source: Le Figaro
