Trial Tony Accurso: Accurso has he placed the mayor of Mascouche in a conflict of interest?

File Photo Martin Alarie

Geneviève Quessy

Friday, 2 February 2018 14:04

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Friday, 2 February 2018 14:04

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JOLIETTE | Tony Accurso has he placed the mayor of Mascouche in a conflict of interest by inviting her on his boat and in lending him 300 000$? This is the question one has to ask the jury, argued the lawyer for the prosecution at the trial of the businessman, and not whether it has benefited or no benefits.

Although Tony Accurso and Richard Marcotte were friends for a long time, reminded Me of Pascal Grimard in his statement, Friday, in Joliette, the two men knew that the code of ethics of the elected official prohibited from receiving gifts from contractors that bid on the tender for the work of the city.

However, between 2005 and 2010, Tony Accurso has paid for three trips on his boat the-Touch, Richard Marcotte, several meals in the restaurant, and it has made him a personal loan of$ 300 000 from her company’s account.

These gifts were offered at the same time, has reminded Me Grimard, where the company Accurso Simard-Beaudry was obtained from the city of Mascouche seven contracts of crushed stone, a contract for curb and paving, the contract for the rehabilitation of the water treatment plant and the treatment plant wastewater.

“Everyone has the right to have friends, but in the context or one was mayor and the other bidder on the tender of his city, Richard Marcotte, and Tony Accurso would have had to ensure that it will not be in a conflict of interest. There was a business relationship between them, and they knew it.”

Although Marc Labelle said Thursday in its argument that no proof had been made of the use of the 300 000$ given by Accurso to Marcotte, Me Grimard recalled what had been said by the witness, Pascale Boutin, aft. Of the 270 000$ deposited in the account of the mayor, that$ 200,000 went to a fiduciary investment and the rest in payments of credit cards and bank-to-bank in various accounts abroad.

“Where is it that you can see that there would have been a real estate transaction, such as Marcotte would have said by asking him for the loan of this money, according to the version of Mr. Accurso? Nowhere,” has asked Me Grimard.

A cheque, has reminded the attorney, “that Accurso claims not to have wanted to hide, but that has been done in the name of a company whose address is in Switzerland, and that is not the true recipient.”

The jury is expected to enter into deliberation next Monday to decide if Tony Accurso is guilty of having helped the ex-mayor of Mascouche to commit a breach of trust.