Charles Dalmasso, PS municipal councilor of Allauch (Bouches-du-Rhône) was sentenced on Monday to four years in prison, including two years suspended. In the 2014 municipal elections, he offered a job and accommodation to an activist in exchange for sabotaging the FN list on which he was registered.
The facts date back to February 2014, when Charles Dalmasso held the position of security assistant to Roland Povinelli, socialist mayor of Allauch from 1975 until his death in May 2020.
The investigation, opened only in 2019, is based in particular on the publication in the daily La Marseillaise of recordings establishing that Roland Povinelli and Charles Dalmasso had proposed to a young activist who was to appear on the FN list to withdraw at the last moment, with a few other running mate, in order to prevent the deposit of the list in the prefecture. In exchange, the young man was offered a job at the town hall and accommodation.
“I’m going to have a letter sent to your house by my director of personnel telling you that from the end of April 2014 you can be recruited at the town hall”, the former mayor had said in particular, according to the transcriptions made by the investigators. A two-room apartment had also been offered to him, with an appointment the next day in the municipal services.
“doing a favor” to the former mayor
The young running mate had not followed up and had not withdrawn. But he had waited several years to reveal these facts.
At the hearing, on December 13, the prosecution had requested four years in prison against Charles Dalmasso, demanding a warrant of committal. “You are not on the front line, (…) but you knowingly participated very actively in the offense committed by Roland Povinelli,” said the president of the court.
“I didn’t know it was corruption, all I did was do Mr. Povinelli a favor,” the elected official justified himself to the investigators.
Sentenced for complicity in corruption and obstructing voting operations by fraudulent maneuvers, the 61-year-old man will be able to serve part of his sentence at home under electronic surveillance. He was also deprived of his civil and civic rights for five years, including the right to vote and eligibility.
His lawyer, Me Anne-Sophie Grardel, has announced her intention to appeal, because, she argues, the facts would be time-barred.