The ex-franchisee accused of having taken part in the kidnapping of the CEO of the Cora restaurants chose not to offer his version of the facts at his trial.
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After the crown called nearly 40 witnesses since last November, the defense announced Friday that it was not presenting any.
This means that Paul Zaidan, accused of the kidnapping and forcible confinement of Nicholas Tsouflidis, will not testify at his trial.
According to the Crown theory, the son of the founder of the breakfast restaurant chain Cora Tsouflidou was kidnapped from his home on the evening of March 8. He told the jury that he was brought by three men to a residence on Principale Street in Laval, where he was sequestered. Nicholas Tsouflidis said he was chained for hours in the basement, before being released the next day on a road, a few kilometers from the place of confinement.
If the defense chose not to call any witnesses at trial, Paul Zaidan’s lawyers had time to let their theory filter out, that the CEO of the Cora chain planned his own kidnapping.
“You hired [l’accusé] Paul Zaidan to take certain steps to set up this alleged abduction? You wanted to create a situation to push [votre frère] Theoharis Tsouflidis of the company? “, had asked defense lawyer Me Hovsep Dadaghalian, when he pressed Nicholas Tsouflidis with questions.
Throughout his cross-examination, the lawyer had referred to the kidnapping as an “alleged abduction”, which angered the witness, who even demanded that he stop using this term.
The Crown is of the opinion that Paul Zaidan took part in the kidnapping of Nicholas Tsouflidis, in particular by obtaining various objects such as padlocks, cables, chains and tie wraps.
According to a credit card statement, he also bought a tablet, involved in the $11 million ransom demand from Cora Tsouflidou. He would also have gone to return the electronic object the day after the abduction.
According to a wireless network expert, Mr. Zaidan’s phone was notably found for four hours near the victim’s place of confinement on the evening of the kidnapping.
The jury is due to return next week for oral arguments from the Crown and the defence.