jpk support committee: pursue legal action
Philippe Couraud, above, heads a support committee for missing journalist Jean-Pascal Couraud - today hoping for a decision on their appeal against the closing off of evidence in an official investigation into allegations of assassination. An English translation of an update sent to members of the JPK support committee, features below.
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Papeete, October 19, 2007
To all the friends, members and supporters of the Support Committee:
Evidence already collected shows that the investigation should be pursued
As indicated in our last release in September 2007, we have seen in recent weeks that investigatory judge, Philippe Stelmach, proposes to close off evidence for the State case. As we expected, a reading of the investigation file shows quite the opposite is very necessary: to continue the investigation. Principal elements underpinning such a finding are as follows:
1 - Many contradictions and falsehoods among some close to Jean Pascal Couraud, specifically on his movements on his last evening, going home: these came to light during police interviews in early 2007 needing further investigation that will likely provide useful input to the truth.
2 - Existence of a dozen witnesses who confirm either partially, or totally, the statements of Vetea Guilloux, including precise testimony from a policeman.
3 – Statements from the lawyer for Jean-Pascal Couraud referring to a possible motive for assassination. These statements must be considered in relation with an update that monitoring and surveillance were carried out on the person of Jean-Pascal Couraud at the time of his disappearance, by members of an espionage cell in the marine administration, led by officers from the DGSE, working for the President of the government of French Polynesia.
Our request for transmission of documents seized from General Rondot discussed on October 23, 2007 before investigatory courts.
Indeed, our demand for the transmission of a dossier of documents seized from General RONDOT, relating to the Japanese bank account of Jacques Chirac, a factor that could have been motive for an interrogation of Jean-Pascal by the administrative flotilla, has been refused. We have appealed against this refusal to the Court of Investigation, which will examine our request at a hearing scheduled on October 23, 2007.
In addition to the presentation of all the elements that make up such a demand, we also requested the Court of Investigation to seize the file itself so that it will lead the investigation to our initial complaint. In fact, the investigation file clearly shows that judge Stelmach failed to order appropriate follow-up to various components of the investigation file that support the hypothesis of an assassination. He himself had also asked to be relieved of this case in November 2006.
The interest of the media and the support of an eminent person
We note the growing interest of the national press in this affair as the reality of the assassination and its motive evidently translating from a reading of the investigation file. Thus, after France Inter and its programme "Rendezvous with X" aired in September, some newspapers providing an announcement of their intention to give first real importance to this issue in coming weeks.
We also noted, as revealed in "Le Point," that magistrates dealing with contents of the file in the courts of Papeete have indicated to some journalists, under cover of anonymity, of their conviction that this is assassination.
Finally, in early October 2007, the mother of Jean-Pascal Couraud had a meeting with one of the most respected personalities in the legal community. Apart from comfort afforded, the claimants have been confirmed as to the appropriateness of certain steps already undertaken.
Thank you for all your support,
Philippe Couraud
Please feel free to comment using the following addresses: contact@soutienjpk.org
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