All guilty in TOR M1 scandal says prosecutor

January 15, 2015
Written by E.Tsiliopoulos

The guilt of all the accused in the black money laundering case (bribes) for the acquisition of the Russian antiaircraft missile system TOR M1, when Akis Tsohatzopoulos was defense minister, was the' recommendation of the prosecutor Athens Felony Appeals Tribunal.

As he argued in the motion, all five accused-including key former Interior Minister of Cyprus, Dinos Michailidi- "have committed the offenses repeatedly, methodically, used offshore companies and bank accounts. There was no incidental offense, and it had acquired infrastructure ".

A key point for the prosecutor was the testimony of Nikos Zigras, cousin of Akis Tsohatzopoulos, already convicted of black political money in the trial where the key accused was Akis Tsochatzopoulos.

"This was not an innocent man, he was the right hand, and privy to the secrets of the former minister, and he benefited greatly. Nobody puts his head in the noose for free. He spilled the beans on the rest and got mitigating circumstances. It's only human ... "he said of Zigras.

The prosecutor also stated that neither Dinos Michaelides nor his son Michael, who is also accused, produced a document proving that his transactions were legitimate with also accused Fuad Al Zagiant (a wanted Syrian businessman).