Ary Chalus in 2015. – MOREL / SIMAX
One month before the regional elections, the blow is hard for Ary Chalus. The president of the Guadeloupe region spent Tuesday and Wednesday more than 30 hours in police custody as part of an investigation for “breach of trust, embezzlement of public funds and illegal financing of an electoral campaign”, according to the prosecution.
Police custody, from Tuesday morning, was carried out in the premises of the zonal direction of the judicial police (DZPJ) in Abymes, in the town of Grande-Terre. It was lifted Wednesday around 7:30 pm, said the prosecutor’s office in Basse-Terre, stressing that “investigations will be continued” to “refine this file”.
Justice wants to go fast
The electoral campaign that interests investigators is that of the regional election of 2015, according to the prosecutor of the Republic of Basse-Terre, Xavier Sicot. According to a source close to the investigation, besides that of Ary Chalus, two other police custody concern the treasurer of the Alliance baie-mahaultienne association, searched on April 29, and “a municipal councilor” of the commune of Baie- Mahault. “This is one of the functions that are theirs”, confirmed to Xavier Sicot, adding that the investigations “will take a little time but we will ensure that the decision on this file is rendered as soon as possible. “.
Elected in 2015 at the head of a various left list, Ary Chalus has not yet officially presented his list for the June poll. “I will be a candidate, we are working with the president of Guadeloupe Unie Solidaire et Responsable (GUSR) and our friends,” he nevertheless indicated on the RCI radio a few weeks ago.