Lino Zambito avoids jail time for construction corruption

Former construction boss Lino Zambito, a keywitness at the Charbonneau inquiry, will not serve any jail time after pleading guilty to charges including fraud and corruption.

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Both the defence and the Crown had asked forno jail time for Zambito, who was astar witness in Quebec's hearings into corruption in the construction industry.

Quebec Court Judge Paul Chevalier complied with the request as he handed downhis decision on thesentence today at theSaint-Jrmecourthouse.

The judge went along with the lawyers' recommendation andsentenced Zambito totwo years minus a day,to be served in the community, plus 240 hours of community service. He will be on probation for three years.

Zambito ordered to stay at home

Zambito will be under full house arrest for 12 months under the terms of his sentence. Followingthat, he willbe under a curfew and will have to be at homebetween 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

However, Zambitowillbe permitted to go outto attend tocommunity work,meetings with parole officers, to attend medical appointments and to gogroceryshopping once a week.

Zambito will not be permitted to be inplaces that serve alcohol, and he will not be permitted to have a cell phone. He has also been given a list of people he is forbidden to have contact with.

Judgecritical, yet forgiving

Despite the lenient sentence,JudgeChevalieroffered a scathing criticism ofZambito's misdeeds, noting thathiscrimes were planned, repeated and that he also instigated crimes committedbyothers.

The judge saidthat Zambito's misbehaviourcontributed to cynicism towards the system and his defrauding of public funds showed a blatant disregard for democracy.

Chevalier notedthat Zambito who could have been sentenced to up to10 years in prison even occasionallyresorted toviolence.

But the judge also credited Zambito with acknowledging his guilt and agreeing totestifyaboutcollusion in the construction industry, without attempting to bargain forimmunity from prosecution.

The judge noted that Zambito displayed genuine remorse and doesnot pose a risk of reoffending.

He noted Zambito's personal life had also suffered. He split with his wifeandendured stress and other health problems after he and his family werethreatened.

The judge also saidthatZambitohad no prior criminal record and ultimately did not benefit personally,as his company later went bankrupt.

List of misdeeds

Zambito, the former vice-president of the construction firmInfrabec,pleaded guilty to six charges in May:

• conspiracy to commit breach of trust.
• municipal corruption.
• fraud over $5,000.
• conspiracy to commit fraud over $5,000.
• intimidation.
• fraud.

'I just want to go on with my life'

Zambito was arrested in 2011 as part of Opration Marteau, the first major police operation targeting corruption and collusion.

He decided to work with investigators and, over several days, he explained to the Charbonneau commission how a cartel of companies split up contracts in Montreal and Laval.

Earlier this fall, Zambito told reporters outside the courtroom that all he wants to do is move on.

"I just want to go on with my life, take care of kids, do something else and put it behind me," he said.