a woman indicted, political motive ruled out

Willy Malaroda received support from Jean-Luc Mélenchon after the arson of his house in the Vosges.

A 73-year-old German woman was indicted for attempted murder and was imprisoned as part of the investigation opened after the fire at the home of a La France insoumise activist in July 2023 in the Vosges, a announced the Epinal public prosecutor’s office on Monday May 13.

“The investigations carried out by the investigators, like the analyzes and expertise carried out following commission of request, make it possible to rule out an act linked to the political activity of the victim and to favor a private motive”, declared the public prosecutor, Frédéric Nahon, in a press release. The suspect “contests the facts with which he is accused”it is specified.

The activist Willy Malaroda, also in his seventies, had received the support of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who had visited his home in Rochesson, the upper part of which was almost completely destroyed during a fire on the night of 20 to 21 July. The fire led to the opening of a judicial investigation for “attempted assassination”.

His wife’s grave defaced

Willy Malaroda said he had already received several times at his home threats linked to the activism of his wife, Elisabeth Becker, an alternate candidate in the 2017 legislative elections for La France insoumise. Posters in his garage had been burned, his car tires slashed, pig’s trotters left in front of his house.

The grave of Elisabeth Becker, who died in January 2023 at the age of 76, suffered damage in October: it was found stained with pink paint, and a commemorative plaque had been stolen. These facts provoked the opening of an investigation and the indignation of rebellious executives.

“Encouraged by the lack of reaction to the fire in the widower’s house, the criminals attack the grave of the deceased”declared Jean-Luc Mélenchon on the social network X.