Tony Accurso fighting Charbonneau Inquiry in court

Antonio Accurso leaves the SQ headquarters in Montreal, Tuesday, April 17, 2012, after being arrested on charges relating to corruption. photo THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Tony Accurso really does not want to testify at the Charbonneau Commission.

The retired entrepreneur, who was the owner and manager of many construction companies, was arrested twice last year and charged with hundreds of criminal charges.

His case, originally scheduled to be heard in Quebec Superior Court on Friday, has been postponed until Sept. 17, 2013.

Accurso is expected to argue that if he speaks at the inquiry his testimony will be used against him as he fights those criminal cases, because witnesses at an inquiry do not have the right to remain silent.

However testimony given at an inquiry cannot be used against those same witnesses in a court of law.

To ease concerns from others facing criminal charges, the Charbonneau Inquiry has made a habit of imposing publication bans for certain witnesses.The inquiry subpoenaed Accurso this summer, indicating it wishes to learn what he knows about corruption in the construction industry in Quebec.

He is accused of taking part in a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme and of corrupting countless city officials and politicians in order to win contracts for his companies.

Two of his companies had their licenses suspended because of tax fraud, and Accurso has been linked to alleged fraud committed in Montreal and Laval.

Accurso has repeatedly been the subject of discussion at the corruption inquiry, with contractor Lino Zambito saying that mafia leader Vito Rizzuto once acted as a mediator in a dispute between himself and Accurso.

After he was charged Accurso announced his retirement, saying the criminal case were too much of a distraction for him to work. A large part of his construction empire was sold to a consortium earlier this year.