What is surprising in this case is that it all started with an anonymous letter, addressed to the gendarmerie in February 2013. According to this letter, the form of which appeals to us, there is mention of an alleged favoritism on the part of of the former director of Seaff (Syndicat des eaux de Fontoy-Fensch), accused of granting construction sites to the same companies. And to one in particular, Lorraine Conseils AMO. At the end of a four-year preliminary investigation, Gilles Mordenti, Managing Director of Seaff until 2018, was indicted for “infringing the freedom of access or the equality of candidates in public contracts “. The person in charge of the company Lorraine Conseils, Jean-Marc Poincelot, is meanwhile warned of “concealment of goods resulting from an infringement of the freedom of access or the equality of candidates in public contracts”. Both appeared on Monday before the Thionville criminal court.
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An advantage over others?
Four public contracts were identified, involving amounts ranging from € 200,000 to € 900,000. “What was your function in the union? », Asks President Lambert to Gilles Mordenti. “I was responsible for examining the files and preparing for the call for tenders commission. »« And what was the role of Lorraine Conseils? “” That of technical advisor to the union. In this sense, he took part in preparatory meetings, ”replies the former president of Seaff. “So he was aware of the markets before they were published …”, continues the president of the court. “Don’t you think being in the meetings up front gave him an advantage? “” Everyone has access to the same documents. Besides, no candidate attacked us ”, explains Gilles Mordenti.
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“He was simply the best bidder”
Present at the hearing, the president of Seaff since 2014, Daniel Matergia, came to support his former director at the helm. “We did not bring a civil action because we did not have to deplore any damage”, he affirms. “It was fairly traditional markets, especially diagnostic studies. Each candidate had sufficient time to prepare his estimate. Lorraine Conseils was simply the best bidder, financially and technically, ”concludes the president of the union.
“My honor has been soiled and my health has deteriorated”, testifies Gilles Mordenti, tremolos in his voice. “I do not cheat, I have never cheated in my whole life,” thunders Jean-Marc Poincelot for his part. “An anonymous letter, it would not be worthy of a competitor,” he still sweeps, rather evoking “revenge or jealousy”.
On the contrary, the representative of the prosecution judges the serious offense. “Mr. Mordenti clearly allowed Mr. Poincelot to get points to win these markets,” she said. It requires a 12-month suspended sentence against them and a fine of € 7,000 each, plus a two-year ineligibility sentence for Mr Mordenti. The judgment was reserved for January 25.
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