Witness in Novartis case claims there was plan to jail politicians
Testifying on Friday in the probe into the alleged bribery scandal implicating Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis and Greek politicians and doctors, deputy prosecutor Ioannis Angelis alleged that there was an organized plan to jail three politicians, including former prime minister Antonis Samaras, on the eve of national elections last year.
Angelis told Supreme Court deputy prosecutor Evangelos Zacharis the other two politicians were current Development Minister Adonis Georgiadis and Movement for Change lawmaker Andreas Loverdos. Both had served as health ministers.
Angelis, who is among witnesses that have claimed there was political interference in the case, said that he discussed the plan with former Supreme Court prosecutor Xeni Dimitriou and General Inspector of Public Administration Maria Papaspyrou.
Zacharis is now expected to decide if and when Dimitriou and Papaspyrou will be summoned to testify in light of Angelis’ claim that they were aware of the plan.
Due to the gravity of his claims, his testimony was sent by the deputy Supreme Court prosecutor to Parliament so that it can be included in the House’s ongoing probe into alleged interference in the case by former alternate justice minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos.
Meanwhile on Friday, corruption prosecutor Eleni Touloupaki denied the claim by former financial crimes prosecutor Panayiotis Athanasiou that she received preferential treatment at a private hospital due to her ties to Papangelopoulos.
She claimed that she received treatment at the private hospital thanks to the help of her brother, a vascular surgeon.
