Beaud handed 10,000-euro fine, suspended sentence

February 14, 2013 10:29 AM

MARIGOT--Former State employee for Départmentale Direction d'Équipment (DDE) Yannick Beaud was fined 10,000 euros and given an eight-month suspended prison sentence by the judge at Palais de Justice, Marigot, on Thursday.

He was further banned from working in a public administrative function for three years.
 
Beaud, an engineer, was first in court on November 18, 2012, facing charges of three counts of engaging in work amounting to conflicts of interest in December 2009, December 2010 and on May 1, 2011, while taking leave of absence from his contract at the Préfecture. He was heard again by the judge on December 20, 2012.
 
At the last hearing Vice-Prosecutor Flavien Noailles pointed out it is against the law to work for the State and at the same time do exterior work on similar files for a private organisation (Semsamar), effectively wearing "two hats," without a three-year delay before working for the latter.
 
Beaud's defence team argued he is a victim of circumstance and had consulted the previous Préfets Dominique Lacroix and his successor Jacques Simonnet for advice before taking on other work. Both had said they did not see any conflicts of interest, and consultation with the Ministry also advised there was no conflict.
 
It was a busy day in court, with a number of high profile defendants in the dock.
 
The judge also rendered his decision on former Director of Service Urbanisme José Carti in another conflict of interest case. It concerned Carti's application of a building permit for himself in a real estate affair in 2002 and 2003.
Described by the prosecutor as a case of "abuse of power for his own interest," Carti was fined 5,000 euros and given a two-month suspended prison sentence. He is moreover not allowed to exercise a duty in a public administrative function for three years.
 
Carti returns to court on March 21 for a penal hearing, as he is one of three persons charged for fraud and complicity in the Collectivité's issuing of an Autorisation d'Occupation Temporaire (AOT) to Orient Beach developer Norbert Luftman.
 
Nightclub owner Philippe Laroutis, formerly manager of the now defunct Le Shore nightclub in Baie Nettle and now proprietor of Le Moon in Grand Case, had his case deferred to April 18. He is charged with defying the Préfecture's order to close a bar selling drinks and for disturbing the peace with loud music from September 21 to October 19, 2012.
 
Both Le Shore and Le Moon received scores of complaints via the Gendarmerie regarding loud music playing until the early hours of the morning.
 
Lebanese architect Joseph Moughames was also in court. defending himself vigorously against accusations about his architectural qualifications on a charge of "holding a title without authority." A complaint had apparently been made against him.
 
The prosecutor asked for a "relaxation" in this case, but the judge will make his decision on March 21.
 
(The Daily Herald)

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