Albert Sale, 70, the former mayor of Peypin (2008-2016), was sentenced today by the 6th Marseille correctional chamber for acts of favoritism. He had omitted, between January 2015 and December 2016, to put companies in competition with several contracts awarded in his municipality. The elected was sentenced to 8 months suspended prison sentence and 5 years ineligibility. In its deliberation, the court said it sanctioned behavior which “undermines the confidence that citizens have in their representatives“.

The facts related to the total sum of 853,000 euros, relating to various orders of food supplies, restaurant tickets and communication for the municipal bulletin. It was his deputy, who has since been elected mayor, who alerted the Central Corruption Prevention Service. An amount which would thus have escaped the transparency linked to public contracts which must go through calls for tenders. “In any case, I did not want to penalize the municipality“, had defended Albert Sale at the bar. Prosecutor Emilie Almero had demanded a one-year suspended prison sentence, 10,000 euros fine and 5 years of ineligibility.”There was no undue advantage“, had pleaded for the elected Me Louise Lanata.

On June 18, Albert Sale had already been sentenced to 4 months suspended prison sentence for having lost the money of the last taxpayer paying nearly 34,000 euros of overtime to his close collaborators.