Yesterday the prosecutor of the penal court of Lille called for the “pure and simple” acquittal of the former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of the “aggravating pimping” case and his possible involvement in an organized prostitution network.  

“After weighing all the evidence for and against the defendant, I reached the conclusion that neither the evidence that arose from the preliminary hearing nor the depositions justified the charges against Mr. Strauss-Kahn”, stated prosecutor Frederic Fevre. The prosecutor, while addressing the penal court of the French city of Lille that hosted the trial, expressed his estimation that the “notoriety” of the leading candidate for the 2012 presidential elections “shouldn’t be in any way a presumption of guilt”. And he wondered: “Must a powerful man necessarily be guilty?” 

During the prosecutor’s pleading the former IMF chief was sitting in his bench, had his hands crossed and listened carefully. The prosecutor’s suggestion now makes the former powerful man’s conviction less possible. The trial is to be concluded this week, with the defense’s final pleading scheduled for today; however, the judges’ verdict is not expected to be announced soon. Dominique Strauss-Kahn has always denied knowing that prostitutes participated in the orgies, in which he had joined as well.