Four former municipal councilors of Val-de-Ruz should have said “stop” their colleague Claude-Henri Schaller in the Pieren affair? This is the question to which the Regional Mountains and Val-de-Ruz regional court. Armand Blaser, François Cuche, Christian Hostettler and Anne-Christine Pellissier are warned of abuse of authority. They dispute their condemnation by criminal order, following the trial of Claude-Henri Schaller. The former elected official had been sanctioned by the courts in 2019 and 2020 for having conditioned, more than 10 years ago, the granting of a building permit to the payment of the tours of taxes of Jean-Luc Pieren.
The second day of the Chaux-de-Fonds trial was devoted to pleadings. For the lawyer for the real estate developer, the members of the Vaudruzien college “knew” that they were false in this file, but “to say no to a colleague is difficult”. Arguing that they have undergone the influence of Claude-Henri Schaller is “a little light for 127 years” of cumulative political experience (legislative and executive combined). “It was their job” to carefully examine this case, “they were paid to make political decisions”.
Pieren’s debts, real obstacle or false argument?
Anne-Christine Pellissier’s defender assured him that his client was not aware of the criminal deal. For her, the debts of Jean-Luc Pieren-“240,000 francs” at the time-were an obstacle to the realization of the projected subdivision of two villas (comprising three dwellings each), especially since the access road to create must be integrated into the public domain. The lawyer for Jean-Luc Pieren-former candidate for the Neuchâtel government-replied that a banking guarantee nevertheless required the commune “sheltered”.
On the other hand, the defense sees no illicit advantage obtained by the municipality. She specifies that the tax arrears have been recovered by the dedicated cantonal service. Several lawyers have also argued that Swiss criminal law punishes individuals and not a college. The opposing part replies that the former city councilors are guilty each of “coaction”. The defense finally considers – like Armand Blaser – that a conviction would amount to sending a message likely to paralyze the exercise of public affairs.
150,000 francs in lawyer for the municipality
Jean-Luc Pieren’s lawyer noted that the commune of Val-de-Ruz “already spent 150,000 francs” in lawyers in this case. In this regard, the parties will be exempt from appearing again, since the judgment will be rendered in writing “as soon as possible”, has formulated the representative of justice Neuchâtel. /VCO
