Novartis Case Verdict: Two Former Witnesses Found Guilty

The Novartis lawsuit successful Greece reached a cardinal infinitesimal connected Friday arsenic the tribunal ruled two erstwhile protected witnesses blameworthy of mendacious testimony and mendacious accusations. Maria Marangeli, a erstwhile caput to elder Novartis enforcement Konstantinos Frouzis, and Filistor Destempasidis, a erstwhile high-ranking institution employee, were convicted for fabricating claims against ten politicians.

Background of the case
The contention began 8 years agone when the two witnesses alleged that ten Greek politicians had received bribes from Novartis, sparking governmental turmoil and aggregate ineligible proceedings that yet reached Greece’s Special Court. The tribunal has present concluded that the accusations were unfounded.

Sentences
The tribunal imposed suspended situation sentences: 33 months for Marangeli and 25 months for Destempasidis. Both sentences transportation a three-year suspension, meaning they will not beryllium served unless further offenses are committed. The judges recognized their lawful anterior behaviour arsenic a mitigating origin but rejected the defense’s petition to admit “non-base motives.”

Earlier, the authoritative had recommended recognizing lawful behaviour for some defendants, noting Destempasidis’ accordant beingness and dignified stance passim the trial, successful opposition to Marangeli’s lack from the courtroom.

Court proceedings
During the months-long trial, respective high-profile politicians testified, including erstwhile Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, erstwhile ministers Evangelos Venizelos and Adonis Georgiadis, erstwhile lawman premier curate Panagiotis Pikramenos, and erstwhile cardinal slope politician Giannis Stournaras. They described the allegations arsenic a politically motivated effort to harm opponents of the then SYRIZA-ANEL authorities and demanded that Marangeli and Destempasidis beryllium held accountable.

The two defendants took antithetic lines of defense. Destempasidis argued that his claims were based connected accusation provided by Frouzis. Marangeli, however, stood by parts of her archetypal allegations. Politicians’ defence lawyers countered that her persistence was linked to millions of euros she allegedly received for her testimony successful U.S. investigations into Novartis, where she was yet fined for contention violations.

Prosecutor’s recommendation
At the extremity of August, authoritative Eirini Pelekanou recommended condemnation for some Marangeli and Destempasidis connected specific counts of mendacious testimony, while suggesting acquittal connected the complaint of mendacious accusations. According to the prosecutor, their statements were made aft being summoned by Greece’s anti-corruption prosecutors successful the discourse of an existing investigation, not arsenic autarkic denunciations.