Criminal charges against protected witness in Novartis case planned, sources say
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Corruption prosecutors in Greece had been planning to press serious criminal charges linked to the Novartis case against a former protected witness and erstwhile health ministry advisor after the holidays, appeals court sources said on Wednesday. Their plans were brought forward when the witness tried to leave the country accompanied by his family before the New Year, the same sources claimed.
According to the sources, the prosecutors had in any case been planning to revoke the protected witness status of the individual involved, who was identified by the pseudonym ‘Yiannis Anastasiou’ after they became of his own involvement in the case. He had apparently been among the first witnesses that asked to testify and had spoken to the prosecutors about many aspects of the alleged practices employed by Novartis, claiming that the illegal sums paid by the pharmaceutical giant amounted to 1.8 billion euros.
The witness was vague about the people and events linked to these sums in his testimony, however, while also failing to mention his own involvement.
Consequently, judicial sources claimed, the prosecutors had decided to revoke his protected status after the holidays but had to accelerate their plans when “ Yiannis Anastasiou” tried to leave the country with his family and household effects.
According to his defence counsel, the authorities had been informed about the trip but both the appeals and supreme court have denied all knowledge of it. This triggered a decision to prevent him leaving Athens international airport, followed by a decision to revoke his status as a protected witness and criminal charges of accepting bribes, compounded by laws for those embezzling funds from the public sector. Following this decision, the witnesses real name was added to the file sent to the Corruption Magistrate, the sources said.
The developments concerning the witness have prompted strong reactions, however, with many disputing the legality of the events on the night of December 30 and claiming that the witness was converted to a defendant because he refused to give in to pressure to name and involve political figures.
Source: ANA-MPA
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