Galery

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The three-member panel of the Court of Appeal for Felonies in Athens has found former Minister of Defence Akis Tsochatzopoulous guilty on the charge of "money laundering ". He had received the amounts in the form of passive bribery and caused damage to the treasury, as stated in the decision of the judges.

Based on the evidence that was presented during the sessions the judges have decided that Akis Tsochatzopoulous had committed the offence of "taking bribes" during his entire term of office in the Ministry of Defence, namely from 1997 to 2001.

According to the reasoning of the decision, the total amount of bribes exceeded 55 million euro. The former minister had received them within ten years, through offshore companies and with the help of third parties.

The judges have found guilty his present wife and his ex-wife, Vicki Stamati and Goudroun Tsochatzopoulou respectively, his daughter Areti Tsochatzopoulou, his cousin and carrier of the majority of the bribes Nikos Zigras and another 12 defendants in the case. The court has freed from guilt 2 of the 18 defendants.

All defendants except Goudroun Tsochatzopoulou and Panagiotis Stamatis (Vicki Stamati’s brother) have been found guilty with the aggravating circumstance of committing crime by occupation.

In his pleading, the defender of the former minister urged the court to recognize the extenuating circumstance that he had been loyal until the time of committing the offence. Nikolaos Zigras’ defender asked the court to recognize his client’s sincere remorse and good behaviour after the crime.

The defender of the former minister’s daughter requested the court to consider as an extenuating circumstance Areti Tsochatzopoulou’s sincere repentance and to cancel the effects of her acts. His argument in support of the claim was the fact that she had expressed her intention to voluntarily submit to the state the property which, according to the indictment, she had acquired illegally.

It is expected that the penalties of each of the convicted persons will be announced on Tuesday.