Former MP Jean-Christophe Lagarde was taken into police custody on Wednesday, September 7, as part of the investigation into the false accusations of the Point having targeted the couple of deputies from La France insoumise (LFI) Raquel Garrido and Alexis Corbière, learned Agence France-Presse (AFP) from the Paris prosecutor’s office, confirming information from the Parisian. Jean-Christophe Lagarde, president of the Union of Independents (UDI), was arrested at his home, said a source familiar with the matter.
A policeman, Anouar Bouhadjela, known as Noam Anouar, was taken into police custody on Tuesday, a source familiar with the matter told Agence France-Presse (AFP), confirmed by the Paris prosecutor’s office. This policeman is seconded to the town hall of Drancy, former stronghold of Jean-Christophe Lagarde led since 2017 by his wife, Aude Lavail-Lagarde.
A third man, a former collaborator of Jean-Christophe Lagarde, was also placed in police custody on Tuesday, according to the close source. The two hearings have been extended, they were still in progress on Wednesday, said this source.
Fraud investigation
“I am satisfied that the investigation is progressing. I remind you that this case goes far beyond simply defamation or insult. This is a violation of criminal law.”Raquel Garrido said on BFM-TV on Wednesday. “I hope that justice will go to the end of its work”added MP LFI.
In June, an article from Point, written by journalist Aziz Zemouri, unduly accused the couple of having exploited an undocumented cleaning lady, which the two elected officials immediately denied. ” Everything is false “, they said. Very rare fact, the article had been removed the next day. In an address to its readers, the newspaper admitted that the article had “turned out to be false” et “lying”.
The journalist Aziz Zemouri had himself filed a complaint against Jean-Christophe Lagarde – former deputy and president of the UDI, beaten in the second round of the legislative elections by Mme Garrido – and against a policeman. He claimed that the police officer in question had contacted him before the legislative elections to put him in touch with a woman claiming to be an undeclared and undocumented household help for the couple of deputies. This agent “would be seconded to the town hall of Drancy” – whose mayor is the wife of Mr. Lagarde.
Three Complaints
The Paris public prosecutor’s office, which opened a preliminary investigation on June 29 for fraud in an organized gang, forgery and use of forgery, identity and data theft, entrusted the investigations to the brigade for the repression of delinquency against the person ( BRDP).
This investigation examines three complaints, filed by the couple Garrido-Corbière, Aziz Zemouri and Jean-Christophe Lagarde. The journalist targets in his complaint the former deputy UDI and Anouar Bouhadjela.
It was, according to his story, this policeman who had contacted him at the end of May to put him in touch with a woman claiming to be an undeclared and undocumented household help for the couple of deputies. The boss of the UDI has filed a complaint for breach of trust.
Recognizing shortcomings in its “internal control process”the weekly launched an internal investigation, and Mr. Zemouri was laid off at the time.
The Garrido-Corbière couple filed a second complaint, for defamation, against Aziz Zemouri and the weekly.