This amendment to the minutes, to purge it of the paragraph containing the supposedly classified data relating to the links between Thierry Lakhanisky and the SGRS, might constitute a problem at the level of the legal procedure. “The modification was made without everyone’s knowledge and in a contested manner”, according to the point of view of Thierry Lakhanisky’s lawyer, Emmanuel De Wagter. The latter therefore lodged a complaint on January 10, 2023 with a civil action for “false minutes” and “use of forgery”. Asked by RTBF, the Brussels public prosecutor’s office indicates that it has indeed received such a complaint.
In addition, a request for recusal of the examining magistrate was formulated at the end of 2022. The request for recusation not having been followed by the Court of Appeal, the debates were prolonged recently in cassation. As the procedure at this level is essentially written, the Court of Cassation usually renders its decision on the day of the hearing. In this case, she decided to take the time to reflect. Judgment will be pronounced this Wednesday, March 8.
Contacted by us, Emmanuel De Wagter confirms that he has taken these steps. He does not wish to specify them or comment further for the moment. Nevertheless, he concedes that “if it turns out that my client worked for the Belgian intelligence services, therefore in the interest of our security, that gives another reading of the file than that which leads to portraying him as a hideous arms trafficker , which he disputes”.
