Top 14: Court sets date after Maka
denies 'slavery'; Wilko can name his price at Toulon
23 September 2010
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In Court: Former Toulouse player Finau Maka
Photo: Eoin Mundow/ Cleva Media |
Former Stade Toulousain
player Finau Maka has denied a charge of "modern
slavery", claiming he was only trying to help a man in need.
The Tongan
international appeared in court in Toulouse following his
earlier arrest after a complaint by a Tunisian man who lived
on his property for four years.
The complainant - known
only as 'Moucef' - claimed Maka kept him in a pool house
with no electricity or running water, accusations the player
strenuously denied.
Top 14 Transfers 2010/11
"He was
homeless, he begged me to help him," Maka told the court.
The ex-Toulouse player - who was released in the summer -
claimed he had helped the homeless man because "as a Tongan
it is part of our culture to care and help people in need".
'Moucef'
is a self-confessed illegal immigrant, but his lawyer Eric
Zerbib said that in no way excused the treatment he received
from Maka. "He can say what he wants," said Zerbib of Maka's
denial. "But nothing explains why he housed someone in a
small hut at the bottom of the garden without running water
or electricity, nothing explains why he used the services of
someone without paying them for four years, or paying them
€3,600,
nothing explains his behaviour in giving this man only a
sandwich a day and the fact that he used him from seven in
the morning to 10 at night," he added.
But Maka
said 'Moucef' lived in a basement bedroom for the first four
months of his stay before being asked to leave.
"He
wanted to remain in our residence," the 33-year-old rugby
player told Toulouse court. "At the back of our house there
is a pool house, and he asked to sleep there instead of
leaving," added Maka. He said the work 'Moucef' performed
was "not specialised", adding that "no-one forced him to
work against his will".
The
initial complaint of 'modern slavery' was filed with the
public prosecutor on April 28, but the investigation only
started after Stade Toulousain had played the Heineken Cup
final on May 22. This week's court hearing has now been
adjourned until October 19th, when a judgement is expected
to passed.
Meanwhile, back on the rugby pitch - Jonny
Wilkinson's excellent start to the 2010/11 season is set
to be rewarded with a lucrative new contract, according to
Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal.
Wilkinson's all-round skills helped Toulon to a 28-16 win
over Clermont last weekend, after which Boudjellal was
effusive in his praise of the 31-year-old. He said
discussions had already begun between the two parties and
added that he remained confident a new deal could be
thrashed out soon, whatever the cost to the club.
"It is
my main priority but I'm not vet worried," said Boudjellal.
"The player wants to stay and his president wants to keep
him at any price, so we should come to an agreement quite
quickly," he reasoned.
Wilkinson is currently in his second season with Toulon and
is known to be happy and settled in the south of France. His
present deal is thought to be in the region of £300,000 per
year, money that Boudjellal believes is well spent. Not only
has Wilkinson helped transform Toulon's on-pitch results -
they finished second in Top 14 last season and were
runners-up in the Amlin Challenge Cup - but he has also
considerably boosted them off-the-pitch as well with his
global appeal.
And it
seems that should Wilkinson agree a new contract he will be
joined in Top 14 next season by some of the biggest names in
world rugby as the likes of Dan Carter, Quade Cooper,
Richie McCaw, Victor Matfield, Joe Rokocoko and Pierre Spies
are lined up for megabucks deals.
Perpignan are certainly keen to see Carter return to the
Catalan outfit following his injury-abbreviated stint there
last season, and Boudjellal believes the All Blacks star
could command
€1.2m per
season for three years.
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