At the request of the prosecutor of the Republic of Dijon, the specialized interregional court of Nancy has just taken up the case. Alain Suguenot, the mayor of Beaune, has been an assisted witness since September 2019 in this case of embezzlement of public funds.
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New judge in the case of embezzlement of public funds concerning the mayor of Beaune (Côte-d’Or), Alain Suguenot. The magistrate in charge withdrew the case at the request of the public prosecutor. It is now the Specialized Interregional Jurisdiction (JIRS) of Nancy which takes over the responsibility.
Contacted this morning, the Dijon prosecutor, Eric Mathais, indicates: “The Dijon investigating judge relinquished jurisdiction, at the request of the Dijon prosecutor, in favor of a JIRS investigating judge. The JIRS has interregional competence, in particular for the economic and financial affairs of a certain complexity, such as cases of breach of probity “.
Witness assisted in this case since December 11, 2019 and after his indictment was lifted by the Investigation Chamber of the Dijon Court of Appeal, Alain Suguenot should soon be heard by this new judge. The mayor of Beaune is suspected of “embezzlement of public funds by depositary of public authority, habitual concealment of embezzlement of public funds and money laundering”. Contacted this morning, he declared “have not yet received any notification.”
An investigation opened in October 2017
The facts go back to the period when he was elected from the fifth constituency of Côte-d’Or. A lawyer by profession, Alain Suguenot was deputy from 1993 to 1997 for the RPR, then from 2002 to 2017 under the labels UMP and LR.
The investigation was opened on October 24, 2017, following receipt by the financial prosecutor’s office of an anonymous letter. It concerns the possible misappropriation of performance allowances and allowances intended to remunerate parliamentary attachés, in particular for the benefit of family circle.
As a reminder, Alain Suguenot employed his wife and daughter as parliamentary assistants. Since September 2017, the employment by a parliamentarian of a member of his family has been prohibited by law.
Indicted in December 2018
In December 2018, the wife and daughter of Alain Suguenot, as well as the mayor of Beaune himself, were indicted by the Dijon tribunal de grande instance after two days in police custody. The public prosecutor indicated “that there were serious or concordant clues against Mr. Alain Suguenot”.
Press releases from @ProcureurDijon judicial investigation concerning the mayor of Beaune. pic.twitter.com/v3ldS8iJQF
– Eric MATHAIS prosecutor of Dijon (@ProcureurDijon) December 5, 2018
The mayor of Beaune was then placed under judicial supervision following the payment of a deposit of 250,000 euros. Denying the facts and dealing with them “machination” politician, Alain Suguenot appealed the decision.
I want to defend my honor and that of my family.
“18 months ago, I chose to devote myself to my city and our agglomeration, and not to stand for a new parliamentary mandate. To be sure that I will not represent myself at the time, well-meaning minds have not hesitated to practice, of course anonymously, slander and lies “, he said at the time.
On December 11, 2019, the Investigation Chamber of the Dijon Court of Appeal finally lifted the indictment, despite the contrary requisitions from the prosecution. Placed under the status of assisted witness, the mayor of Beaune explained: “This decision puts an end to the slanderous campaign skilfully orchestrated against the mayor of Beaune a few months before the municipal elections”. The indictment of his wife and daughter were also lifted.
Alain Suguenot, who hoped for a dismissal in this case, will therefore have to explain himself again, but this time before the jurisdiction of Nancy.
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