New sanctions are expected in the administrative procedure triggered in the wake of Mérignac’s feminicide. On May 4, Chahinez, a 31-year-old mother, was burnt alive by her ex-husband in the middle of the street, after being shot in the legs. The investigation then revealed “failures”, while the victim had lodged a complaint in March, and her husband was prohibited from approaching her. Consequently, six police officers will be summoned before two separate disciplinary councils, in Bordeaux and Paris, on January 4. Four officers and commissioners, including the departmental director of public security (DDSP) will be received in Paris, while two brigadiers will be heard in Bordeaux.
A first high-ranking officer sanctioned
The latter are suspected of “administrative failures”, indicates Éric Marrocq, Alliance regional secretary, to Agence France-Presse. “The study of the file in the disciplinary committee will make it possible to remove doubts as to their impartiality and professionalism”, he explains. Among the four hierarchical superiors summoned to Paris, also appear the commander of the western division, as well as the commissioner of Mérignac. They are all involved at different scales in the errors of appreciation that led to Chahinez’s death.
A first sanction had already been announced at the end of October. The Southwest Zonal Director of Public Security had received a blame, decided by the Director General of the National Police Frédéric Veaux, but without summons to a disciplinary council. He was replaced in March by Martin Levrel, who is one of the officers summoned to Paris at the beginning of January.