Journalist Mohamed Sifaoui, co-responsible for the main beneficiary association of the Marianne Fund for the fight against “separatism”, was interviewed by the police on Wednesday morning. This hearing was announced Tuesday by Me Bernard Benaiem, after the search of Mohamed Sifaoui’s home by investigators from the Central Office for the Fight against Corruption and Financial and Tax Offenses (OCLCIFF), in charge of investigations.
“It is important that he can be heard quickly and demonstrate, as he has always said, that he had nothing to be ashamed of in this affair”, indicated Me Benaiem at the time, recalling “the fight against political Islam for thirty years” of his client. The free hearing regime, also known as a free suspect, allows a person suspected of having committed an offense to be questioned without taking them into custody. Me Benaiem told AFP that he was assisting Mohamed Sifaoui during this hearing.
Subsidies of 355,000 euros
In this case, an investigating judge has been in charge since May 4 of an investigation for “embezzlement of public funds, embezzlement of public funds through negligence, breach of trust and illegal taking of interests relating to the management of the Marianne fund” . Mohamed Sifaoui was one of the two promoters of the project of the Union of Physical Education and Military Preparation Societies (USEPPM), the winning association which benefited from the largest sum of this fund (355,000 euros).
Launched on April 20, 2021 by Marlène Schiappa, then Minister Delegate for Citizenship, after the shock caused by the assassination of Professor Samuel Paty, this fund, initially endowed with 2.5 million euros, aimed to finance associations promoting values of the Republic to fight against “separatism” and radical Islam on social networks.
The current Secretary of State for the Social and Solidarity Economy is heard Wednesday morning by the Senate inquiry committee on this affair. The hearing by senators of Mohamed Sifaoui, scheduled for Tuesday but postponed due to the search, will be held on Thursday.