Special Court finds guilty former SYRIZA minister Pappas

Former SYRIZA minister Nikos Pappas was unanimously declared guilty by the Special Court for the crime of breach of duty related to the 2016 TV license tender case. The judges reserved the same criminal treatment to businessman Christos Kalogritsas who was found guilty of complicity in the breach of duty.

Prosecutor Dimitris Asprogerakas proposed a sentence of one year for Nikos Pappas and six months for Christos Kalogritsas.

The president of the Special Court, of the Supreme Court, Ioanna Clappa, announced the verdict of the 13 supreme judges who made up the Special Court, which they reached after a conference that preceded the following days behind closed doors.

The procedure continues with the proposal on the penalties by the prosecutor Dimitris Asprogerakas, who, due to a health problem, replaced his colleague from the previous meeting, assistant prosecutor of the Supreme Court, Olga Smyrlis, who had recommended the discharge of both defendants.

However, the judges assessed the evidence differently and led to a guilty verdict.

Nikos Pappas, as his lawyer Yiannis Mantzouranis said, did not submit a request for recognition of mitigating factors because he is not and does not feel guilty.

Nikos Pappas was finally convicted to a two-year sentence with a three-year probation while a 5,000-euro fine was imposed on Kalogritsas.