The prosecutor’s office in Paris has requested Friday the indictment of the former CEO of Lafarge, Bruno Lafont and ex-deputy executive director operations of the group, Christian Herrault in the case of the cement plant of Jalabiya, in Syria, a-t-on learned from justice source. The public prosecutor has requested the pre-trial detention for Bruno Lafont and placement under judicial supervision for Christian Herrault, under bond, added the source.
The ex-ceo of LafargeHolcim Eric Olsen has been indicted and placed under judicial control on Thursday, in the same folder, for funding a terrorist enterprise ” and endangering the lives of others. His lawyer, however, told Reuters that he would file an appeal before the chambre de l’instruction of the Paris Court of appeal to challenge this indictment.
Action on the part of Eric Olsen
“Eric Olsen challenges his indictment. It is going to appeal to a court. He wants only one thing, that all light be shed on this matter as quickly as possible,” said Me Pierre Cornut-Gentille. Last week, the former directors of the subsidiary syrian Lafarge, LCS, Bruno Pescheux and Frederic Jolibois, had been indicted for funding the terrorism, endangerment, and violation of regulations governing financial relations with foreign countries.
A sixth man, Jean-Claude Veillard, responsible at the time of the safety of the group and always employee of LafargeHolcim, has been indicted for funding the terrorism and endangerment. The investigation focuses on the conditions under which the French group, absorbed in 2015, by the Swiss Holcim to form the giant cement LafargeHolcim, has been maintained in 2013-2014 its activities in Syria in a conflict zone held particularly by the organization of the islamic State (Daech).
An internal investigation has confirmed that the money had been paid to the armed groups. The subsidiary syrian Lafarge, LCS, is also suspected to have used raw materials, oil in particular, from territories controlled by Daech.
(With Reuters)
