Ex-official accused of breach of trust | “He has easy answers for everything,” says the judge

A former City of Montreal manager accused of breach of trust for having favored a real estate bigwig claims to have become friends with him by meeting him in a Costco in Laval. And if he called it the same day of an unfavorable judgment, it is a coincidence, according to the accused. A defense which left the judge perplexed.

“(Sadek Lazzouzi) was not that convincing,” said Judge Salvatore Mascia, during the defense’s argument. “He has an answer for everything. He has easy answers for everything,” added the magistrate.

It was Sadek Lazzouzi’s turn to present his defense Tuesday at the Montreal courthouse. The 54-year-old man is accused of breach of trust by a public official. He was arrested by the Permanent Anti-Corruption Unit (UPAC) in September 2022.

According to the Crown, Sadek Lazzouzi illegally intervened on behalf of real estate developer Tinel Timu – murdered in 2023 – to close a case of non-compliance with municipal regulations. The accused was then head of the permits and inspections division of the Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district.

During major work, the building at 2735, avenue Bourbonnière, near the Olympic Stadium, went from 8 to 16 units. A transformation however prohibited by zoning regulations. Tinel Timu then resold this building purchased for $420,000 in 2015 for 2.5 million in August 2021.

On November 12, 2021, the Municipal Court confirmed the statement of offense issued by the borough due to the prohibited transformation. That day, Sadek Lazzouzi spoke for three minutes on the phone with his friend Tinel Timu. “It didn’t relate to his ticket,” the accused swore.

An employee of Sadek Lazzouzi testified Monday that his boss asked him in January 2022 to “close” the file at 2735 Bourbonnière, even if the corrections had not been made following the judgment. “I felt unwell,” said the witness, who complied.

Two days later, Sadek Lazzouzi went to the residence of Tinel Timu, in Laval, for 14 minutes. The accused’s explanations of this meeting remain vague. “A funny coincidence. I ask myself questions,” said the judge.

On Tuesday, Sadek Lazzouzi repeated that he had asked his employee to close the license, and not the file. It was necessary to close the permit, since it had expired and Tinel Timu was no longer the owner. The new owner therefore had to make a new permit application, according to the accused.

“I did not make the file disappear,” argued the accused.

A friend I met at Costco

Sadek Lazzouzi knew businessman Tinel Timu when he worked in the Côte-de-Neiges sector. But it was when he came across him in a Costco at the start of the pandemic that he hit it off. “We exchanged phone numbers and became friends,” he testified. From then on, they talked at least once a month. Their spouses got to know each other. However, the accused claims to have never intervened in his friend’s case.

Recorded without his knowledge by an undercover agent posing as a corrupt official, Tinel Timu portrayed Sadek Lazzouzi as “(his) guy”. He said he had known him for 10 years.

“(Lazzouzi) is capable of doing anything for money. He’s just coming to our house this evening to pick up some files that he settled for me,” boasted Tinel Timu. According to him, the Bourbonnière file was “under control”.

“Mr Timu is quite a character, especially when he drinks. He likes to present himself as a Godfather,” testified Sadek Lazzouzi.

Tinel Timu later put the undercover agent in contact with Sadek Lazzouzi. It was the accused who chose a parking lot to meet him. Sadek Lazzouzi allegedly introduced himself as a “facilitator” and asked the man to identify him as “Samuel” in his phone.

“I thought I was dealing with a mafia boss. I just wanted to get rid of it,” says Sadek Lazzouzi. He was arrested a few minutes later.

When the undercover agent offered money to Sadek Lazzouzi, he replied “no not right away, I’m going to see what I’m going to do first, we’re going to talk to Tinel again,” said the prosecutor. Crown M^e Sarah-Audrey Daigneault.

“I never took the money,” assured the accused.

In its pleading, the defense insisted on the fact that the “Bourbonnière file” had never been closed, since offense reports were submitted after the events. “Where are the acts of dishonesty, abuse or corruption? He asked to close the license. He is a qualified man. He is competent,” pleaded M^e René Verret.

For the Crown prosecutor, the defense raises a “semantic” argument by playing on the words “permit” and “file”. While he was in a position of authority, Sadek Lazzouzi asked to close a judicial file so that it would no longer be possible to follow up on it, according to the Crown. “Serious and marked” behavior with the norm, pleaded M^e Daigneault.

Additionally, Tinel Timu boasted to an undercover agent “that he was offering money to (Mr. Lazzouzi) to erase records.” A “disturbing” relationship, according to the Crown.

The judge will deliver judgment in the coming weeks.