The lawyer for one of the co-accused in a case involving fraud and corruption in Quebec's construction industry said the Charbonneau Commission is ruining his defendant's right to a fair trial.

A group of men, including disgraced former city of Montreal executive Frank Zampino, were no-shows in the Montreal courthouse Monday, where they were due to face the charges.

The case relates to the controversial Faubourg Contrecoeur housing project, and also involved Bernard Trepanier, the former head of financing for former mayor Gerald Tremblay’s Union Montreal party, as well as construction boss Paolo Catania

The Sureté du Quebec arrested the group of ten accused a year ago, when police said Zampino was responsible for a vast scheme to sell the Faubourg Contreceour land in the east end to developer Frank Catania.

Catania paid $5 million for the land, when the real value was closer to $30 million.

The man were supposed to begin trial Monday, but were conspicuously absent.

Trepanier’s defence attorney Daniel Rock said his client can't receive a fair trial due to all the negative publicity surrounding the Charbonneau Commission.

“We have taken steps. We have written letters and we have asked them to be prudent and as far as I see, the commission is not concerned at all by the rights of these people,” he said.

Rock said he might ask that the charges be dropped if the case is heard by a jury.

"They publish his name, they go arrogantly with witnesses and it looks bad for everybody and they didn't have their trial yet," he said.

By the same token, Trepanier's lawyer did confirm his client has now been called in front of the Charbonneau Commission for next week, which could be an important game-changer, because he's suspected of playing a major role in the corruption scandal at city hall.

Several witnesses testified that Trepanier was handling illegal donations and kickbacks from contractors, in order to fund Tremblay's election campaigns. 

Trepanier's turn to give his side of the story could come as soon as next week, providing he cooperates with the commission.

The accused are due in court March 20.