On the accused side, Mamadou Diallo, 19 at the time, accused of being “the unknown of the Post Office”. A boy described as sweet and kind by those around him but whose DNA was found in the post office. On Monday, he admitted the theft of the money but denied being the author of the murder. During this first day, there was a lot of talk about Gérald Thomassin, an actor suspected for many years but who today has disappeared.
“Everything started on rumours”
As expected, the shadow of Gérald Thomassin hovered over this first day of hearing. The actor of The petty criminal has long been suspected of being the author of the murder. Indeed, he lived just opposite the post office and was described as unstable, alcoholic and sometimes violent. An ideal suspect profile that the director of investigation came to dismantle at the bar.
No material element has ever been able to prove the guilt of the actor. Even Raymond Burgod, the father of the postwoman, no longer believes in this hypothesis today: “At the time, I thought it was him but I really changed my mind. The problem is that he had a weird attitude, this guy. So everything was based on rumors. While this person did nothing”, he says.
But Gérald Thomassin has now disappeared, without a trace. It is the great absence of this trial regrets Sylvie Noachovitch, the lawyer of Mamadou Diallo, alone in the box of the accused and whom she describes as incapable of murder. “My client wants to proclaim his innocence and explain why he is innocent. He is non-violent, everyone says so, he is kind, adorable, gentle, and the psychiatric experts have given him a very favorable report. He does not at all have the profile of a culprit”, she judges.
Mamadou Diallo also sought Monday to present himself as the ideal son-in-law. Certainly a thief, he admits that, but certainly not a murderer. However, it was his DNA that was found in the post office, mixed with that of the victim.