A former elected MR is accused of having promised a regularization to an undocumented against 3,000 euros

Belgium

The former municipal councilor MR of the City of Brussels Alain Nimegeers is accused by an undocumented to have promised a regularization in exchange for a payment of 3,000 euros, according to RTBF information that it airs Saturday evening.

Alain Nimegeers was forced to resign from the communal council last May after moving to a municipality in Wallonia. The alleged facts related by the undocumented person concerned, however, occurred when Alain Nimegeers was still stationed at the City of Brussels. The individual, to whom the RTBF gives Samir's alias, told the public service media group that he had "met Mr. Nimegeers thanks to an acquaintance", who was "in contact with Mr. Nimegeers as part of the Obtaining a social housing for a fee of 2000 euros. "

The 32-year-old man of Moroccan origin claims to have met the communal councilor" for the first time at the end of January, in a northern café from Brussels". "He then told me he could get me papers against 3000 euros," he told RTBF. A sum of 2,750 euros will be given three days later during a second appointment, because Samir could not get the total amount, he says.

According to the RTBF, the elected promised a favorable outcome within three months, late April or early May. Samir has not received any good news on this subject since. But he says he got a new appointment with Alain Nimegeers, during which he recorded conversations, recordings that were transmitted to RTBF. In a conversation, we hear the elected official explain how his relays, who are supposed to be officials in administrations, intervene at his request to push a file, whether "for housing" or "for "

The RTBF indicates that it contacted Alain Nimegeers for reaction. The latter, who has left politics, admits having met the undocumented, but denies having asked for money or having received it. He said he explained that he was going to send his file to Theo Francken, "but nothing more, that I could not do anything else," he adds. "I do not know what happened behind my back.This undocumented tried to trap me," said Alain Nimegeers, who was also a CPAS advisor and police advisor to the City of Brussels. The former elected explains to have the impression of being faced with a "machination, in a context of electoral campaign". He specifies that he will take a lawyer and hears that clarity is made in this case.

Samir has meanwhile requested the MRAX, the Movement against Racism, Antisemitism and Xenophobia, which will transmit the pieces of this file to the public prosecutor of the King of Brussels, specifies the RTBF.

The MR "will take the adequate legal provisions" in case of proven misdeed

Alain Courtois, First alderman MR to the City of Brussels, briefly reacted Saturday evening to the revelations of the RTBF. The leader MR in Brussels-City "confirms that the MR will take all the appropriate legal measures to denounce any fraudulent maneuvers or swindle on the part of this former communal officer", can we read in a reaction transmitted by his spokesman Pierre-Benoît Sepulcher.

In a reaction requested by the RTBF, Alain Nimegeers has already denied any intention on his part to intervene beyond the legality of the case of the undocumented person concerned or in cases concerning applications for social housing. . He also claims that he never asked for money from the person whose RTBF relayed the testimony, and never received any.

According to Alain Nimegeers, the sums of money he evokes in certain excerpts of conversation recorded "are money to finance an election campaign", money that he usually reimburses afterwards. "The undocumented may have misunderstood or other things have been said elsewhere," he adds. The former elected wants to clarify this "serious case."

According to the press service of Alain Courtois, Alain Nimegeers had resigned from the MR several months ago, and since then sat as an independent.

Last May, the communal councilor from Brussels had to resign after moving and living in Wallonia. Alain Nimegeers was initially elected under the FDF banner before announcing his move to the MR in October 2013.