The Novartis case in Greece reached a key moment on Friday as the court ruled two former protected witnesses guilty of false testimony and false accusations. Maria Marangeli, a former secretary to senior Novartis executive Konstantinos Frouzis, and Filistor Destempasidis, a former high-ranking company employee, were convicted for fabricating claims against ten politicians.
Background of the case
The controversy began eight years ago when the two witnesses alleged that ten Greek politicians had received bribes from Novartis, sparking political turmoil and multiple legal proceedings that eventually reached Greece’s Special Court. The court has now concluded that the accusations were unfounded.
Sentences
The court imposed suspended prison sentences: 33 months for Marangeli and 25 months for Destempasidis. Both sentences carry a three-year suspension, meaning they will not be served unless further offenses are committed. The judges recognized their lawful prior conduct as a mitigating factor but rejected the defense’s request to acknowledge “non-base motives.”
Earlier, the prosecutor had recommended recognizing lawful conduct for both defendants, noting Destempasidis’ consistent presence and dignified stance throughout the trial, in contrast to Marangeli’s absence from the courtroom.
Court proceedings
During the months-long trial, several high-profile politicians testified, including former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, former ministers Evangelos Venizelos and Adonis Georgiadis, former deputy prime minister Panagiotis Pikramenos, and former central bank governor Giannis Stournaras. They described the allegations as a politically motivated attempt to damage opponents of the then SYRIZA-ANEL government and demanded that Marangeli and Destempasidis be held accountable.
The two defendants took different lines of defense. Destempasidis argued that his claims were based on information provided by Frouzis. Marangeli, however, stood by parts of her original allegations. Politicians’ defense lawyers countered that her persistence was linked to millions of euros she allegedly received for her testimony in U.S. investigations into Novartis, where she was eventually fined for competition violations.
Prosecutor’s recommendation
At the end of August, prosecutor Eirini Pelekanou recommended conviction for both Marangeli and Destempasidis on specific counts of false testimony, while suggesting acquittal on the charge of false accusations. According to the prosecutor, their statements were made after being summoned by Greece’s anti-corruption prosecutors in the context of an existing investigation, not as independent denunciations.
Source: tovima.com
