<p> An explosive pimping trial in northern France zoned in on its most high-profile protagonist Dominique Strauss-Kahn today, with a local businessman saying the former IMF chief was unaware their orgies involved prostitutes.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The businessman, David Roquet who is accused of setting up sex parties with prostitutes for former presidential hopeful Strauss-Kahn and others, was due to take the stand later today.<br />In an interview with French TV station BFM, he said he quietly paid the women after the parties and that Strauss-Kahn was unaware they were prostitutes.<br /><br />"The girls who accompanied us were elegant, cultivated. It's not like being parked up in a car in the pouring rain," he said.<br /><br />He said he enjoyed spending "an afternoon with a man who was the second most-important person in the world and a future president of the republic".<br /><br />"That was my goal, professionally. It was to organise a lunch with Mr Strauss-Kahn and heads of business," Roquet added.<br /><br />A total of 14 people -- including businessmen and police connected through freemasonry -- are accused of "aggravated pimping" for their part in organising the prostitutes for the sex parties in luxury hotel rooms.<br /><br />Under French court rules, defendants cannot talk about someone not present in the courtroom, so today's testimony will not directly relate to Strauss-Kahn, who does not appear until Tuesday.<br /><br />Today's proceedings began with questions for Emmanuel Riglaire, a lawyer accused of introducing a prostitute to the head of public relations of the Carlton Hotel in Lille, where several of the orgies are alleged to have taken place.<br /><br />Riglaire denounced the proceedings, saying it had put his family through hell."There is nothing but damaged people in this room," he said, holding back tears.<br /><br />"I will never forgive those who have dragged us before this court and ensured the publicity of the case."<br /></p>
<p> An explosive pimping trial in northern France zoned in on its most high-profile protagonist Dominique Strauss-Kahn today, with a local businessman saying the former IMF chief was unaware their orgies involved prostitutes.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The businessman, David Roquet who is accused of setting up sex parties with prostitutes for former presidential hopeful Strauss-Kahn and others, was due to take the stand later today.<br />In an interview with French TV station BFM, he said he quietly paid the women after the parties and that Strauss-Kahn was unaware they were prostitutes.<br /><br />"The girls who accompanied us were elegant, cultivated. It's not like being parked up in a car in the pouring rain," he said.<br /><br />He said he enjoyed spending "an afternoon with a man who was the second most-important person in the world and a future president of the republic".<br /><br />"That was my goal, professionally. It was to organise a lunch with Mr Strauss-Kahn and heads of business," Roquet added.<br /><br />A total of 14 people -- including businessmen and police connected through freemasonry -- are accused of "aggravated pimping" for their part in organising the prostitutes for the sex parties in luxury hotel rooms.<br /><br />Under French court rules, defendants cannot talk about someone not present in the courtroom, so today's testimony will not directly relate to Strauss-Kahn, who does not appear until Tuesday.<br /><br />Today's proceedings began with questions for Emmanuel Riglaire, a lawyer accused of introducing a prostitute to the head of public relations of the Carlton Hotel in Lille, where several of the orgies are alleged to have taken place.<br /><br />Riglaire denounced the proceedings, saying it had put his family through hell."There is nothing but damaged people in this room," he said, holding back tears.<br /><br />"I will never forgive those who have dragged us before this court and ensured the publicity of the case."<br /></p>