Four people suspected of corruption at Fresnes prison, sent to the Criminal Court of Créteil – ISA HARSIN / SIPA
Bribes for more regular showers. Four people, including businessman Arnaud Mimran were referred to the Criminal Court of Créteil in a case of alleged corruption in the prison of Fresnes (Val-de-Marne), we learned on Monday, confirming a Obs information. They are suspected of having received money in exchange for preferential treatment given to detainees who are predominantly members of the Jewish community.
These benefits could include the authorization of cell phones in cells, more regular showers, or support in obtaining visiting rooms and sentencing arrangements. “The judicial authority carried out a real inquisition against my client and after four years of investigation, it is clear that the alleged corruption system so much announced and” oversold “does not exist”, responded Me Philippe Ohayon, l lawyer for one of the directors, Khalid El Khal, who will be tried for passive corruption and criminal association.
The corrupters: Arnaud Mimran, Eric Robic and Fabrice Touil
The two detainees considered to be “the corrupters” are Arnaud Mimran, convicted in the vast case of “carbon tax” fraud, and Eric Robic, the French driver who had run over an Israeli woman in Tel Aviv in September 2011 before taking the escape. They will be tried for “active corruption”.
In the case of Arnaud Mimran, the director sent to court is suspected of having played a role in his transfer to Le Havre prison, according to the order for dismissal. The other detainee is Fabrice Touil, suspected of having handed over money several times to the director. He was dismissed for active corruption and for having participated in a criminal association, according to the dismissal order issued on May 27.
Detention conditions in Fresnes regularly criticized
The investigation began in February 2017, after a report from the prison administration to the courts. “This trial (in correctional, Editor’s note) will be that of Fresnes, it will not be that of Arnaud Mimran,” said Arnaud Mimran’s lawyer, Me Jean-Marc Fedida, criticizing the conditions of detention of this prison, regularly criticized. “It is perfectly indecent to reproach detainees and in particular Arnaud Mimran for having carried out any kind of corruption that an investigation file, however energetically conducted, has never demonstrated”, he added.
Last month, Arnaud Mimran was indicted for “complicity in assassination” in the murder case Claude Dray, killed in 2011, and for “organized murder” in that of Samy Souied, killed in 2010. He must appear from June 8 to 25 at the assizes for the kidnapping and kidnapping with a view to extortion of a wealthy Swiss financier in January 2015.