Not a bribe, just a trip between friends

Photo Martin Alarie
Tony Accurso, who is accused

Geneviève Quessy

Thursday, 1 February 2018 19:34

UPDATE
Thursday, 1 February 2018 19:34

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JOLIETTE | Tony Accurso has ever offered gifts or bribes to the mayor of Mascouche to get contracts, because if that was the case, it would have proceeded otherwise, argued the lawyer of the businessman.

According to Marc Labelle, if Tony Accurso had wanted to give bribes to mayor Richard Marcotte, he would not have done it by asking his employee to prepare a cheque. And if he had wanted to take her on his boat with his family to get contracts, nobody would have bragged about.

“Is it that it is the behaviour of someone who wants to hide something ? $ 300,000 is a number that will attract the attention of the controllers, the accountant told us, ” he said in front of the jury Thursday at the courthouse in Joliette.

What are they talking about ?

Businessman Tony Accurso is accused of breach of trust. According to the Crown, he was paid $ 300,000 to the mayor Marcotte in addition to bring on vacation on his boat the Touch in order to obtain two contracts in Mascouche.

“Where are the witnesses who could tell us what the guests have spoken on the boat Touch ? Where are they Trudel [Norman], Wilkinson [Shirley] and Lavallée [John] ? Why the prosecution has not summoned ? Nobody came to tell us what we talked about on this boat-there “, hammered Marc Labelle said in its argument.

Friends on vacation

Insisting on the friendship which had united them since the 70’s, the lawyer reiterated that the trips offered by Accurso were not bribes.

“Mr. Marcotte spoke openly of his trips on the Touch. Do you think that if the two were there to make plans eighth notes, they would be touted ? It is simple, it was a gang of friends on holiday. “

That Accurso has not attempted to get back the money that he would have lent it to Marcotte is not surprising, also argued the lawyer.

“The fact that he lends money to his friend to make the real estate and that at the end of four years it is not income, this is not abnormal in her world. This is how it works. “

The Crown will in turn argument, before the jury Friday.