MARIGOT, Saint-Martin--The court proceedings involving Collectivité President Louis Mussington will resume on January 11, 2027, after judges granted a request from his attorney for additional time to prepare the defense.
The matter had been scheduled to come before the Saint-Martin local court on Monday, October 5, but Mussington was not present when the hearing opened. His attorney, Dominique Nicolas, asked the court to postpone consideration of the case, arguing that the defense had not been given sufficient time to properly review the file. The court agreed and set the new hearing for 8:30 a.m. on January 11.
Mussington is being prosecuted in connection with several administrative decisions he allegedly signed between May 2022 and August 2024 involving relatives or persons connected to his family while serving as president of the Collectivité.
According to the prosecution, the matters include personnel decisions concerning his cousin, brother, two nieces and the partner of his son. The documents cited by prosecutors involve transfers, appointments and fixed-term employment contracts within the Collectivité. The allegations have not yet been adjudicated, and the rescheduled hearing will allow the court to examine the substance of the case.
Nicolas told the court that the postponement was necessary to allow the defense adequate preparation time. He said an initial request for a copy of the case file was made in June, followed by another request in July, but that the documents were not obtained until September.
The defense attorney also cited Mussington’s health, saying his client had been unwell for several days and that he wanted Mussington physically present when the case is heard so he can respond directly to questions from the court.
The prosecutor opposed the postponement and questioned the explanation for Mussington’s absence, noting that no medical certificate had been presented and referring to his attendance at events during the preceding weekend. She also disputed the defense’s account of the delay in receiving the case file, saying an earlier request had been sent to an incorrect email address belonging to someone who had since retired.
After considering both positions, the court granted the defense request but made clear that it expects Mussington to appear personally when proceedings resume in January.
The court indicated that his presence is considered important so that he can answer the allegations against him during the public hearing.
If convicted of the offenses alleged, Mussington could face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to €500,000.
