Frank Zampino did not draw the strings from a collusion system, according to his lawyer

The ex-Numéro 2 of the City of Montreal Frank Zampino hammers that he has never been made aware of a system of collusion in the metropolis. In addition, but rather points to a political organizer now deceased and likes that he deserves an acquittal.

“No element proves that the contract sharing stratagem had been set up by Mr. Therefore, Zampino for the purpose of illegal political financing. However, The proof is even at the contrary: it was Bernard Trépanier who benefited personally, ”said Mr.^e Philippe Morneau Tuesday morning at the Montreal courthouse.

According to the theory of prosecution. Similarly, this system made it possible to fraudulently grant 34 contracts between 2004 and 2009 in Montreal, with a total value of more than $ 160 million. Meanwhile, In exchange. In addition, the firms were to offer a 3% fee to the frank zampino did not draw Union Montreal Party of the mayor of the time, Gérald Tremblay.

“Illicit money was not found in party chests,” said Mr.^e Morneau. However, And all the engineers who testified during this criminal trial have sworn that he has never given money to Mr. Zampino, according to his lawyer.

Important sums would have been rather deposited in the personal bank account of the Grand Argentier of the Party. Bernard Trépanier, and in that of his company Bermax, even “if he made the firms believe that the sums were intended for the party”, according to the defense lawyer.

Bernard Trépanier at the frank zampino did not draw Montreal courthouse in 2016. Photo d’archives, Chantal Poirier

Mr. Trépanier, who died of cancer before being able to undergo his trial, “acted without Mr. Zampino” and “was a free agent”, according to M^e Morneau.

“Spokesperson” contradicts

The lawyer for the former mayor of Saint-Léonard. accused of conspiracy and breach of confidence, had shortly before pulled red balls on a witness witness of La Couronne, engineer Michel Lalonde.

Michel Lalonde during his testimony, last March, at the criminal trial of Frank Zampino. Photo Ben Pelosse

The former frank zampino did not draw president of the Conseil Genius Genius firm said in March that it became the “spokesperson” of the Consulting Engineering Firms in 2005. in order to better supervise the process “which was not perfect”.

According to M^e Morneau. it is “quite overwhelming” to learn that Frank Zampino would have met Michel Lalonde and Bernard Trépanier only three times in three years to “orchestrate a contract sharing system”.

“It seems very little for a scheme of the magnitude described during the trial,” he said.

But according to the thesis defended by Zampino. Michel Lalonde would rather grant himself the role of “spokesperson” for financial reasons. Due to the collusion system in place, its small firm could have obtained larger contracts.

The now retired engineer, who had testified at length at the Charbonneau committee, was never accused of the criminal.

“Nothing prevented the firms from talking to each other to determine a price frank zampino did not draw in advance. They did not need the intervention of the city or Zampino, ”said Mr.^e Morneau.

System that continues

The collusion system would have even continued for a year after the departure of Frank Zampino from the town hall of Saint-Léonard. in July 2008.

“If the conductor is no longer in the city. the system is still taking place, I hardly see how we can secure the proof with the thesis that he drew the strings,” said the defense lawyer.

The pleadings of the other four accused continue on Tuesday at the Montreal courthouse. It will then be the crown of the crown to exhibit its arguments.