OPEKEPE: 19 convicted for illegal subsidies – sentences up to two years
Nineteen of 22 defendants were found guilty of illegal OPEKEPE subsidies, according to Athens' Three-Member Court of Misdemeanours. Sentences range from financial penalties to two years with suspension.
Conviction of 19 defendants for illegal OPEKEPE subsidies
Athens' Three-Member Court of Misdemeanours issued a conviction against 19 of 22 defendants in the case of illegal subsidies from OPEKEPE, according to Newsbeast. The majority of the defendants are from Crete.
The court imposed prison sentences of one to two years with a three-year suspension on 14 defendants who were found guilty as principals. These individuals had received subsidies ranging from €25,000 to €85,000.
The remaining five were convicted as accomplices. One of them received a sentence of one year with suspension, whilst the other four face financial penalties ranging from €8,500 to €11,000.
The court recognised, by majority, the mitigating circumstance of a previous lawful life in 18 of the 19 convicted defendants — a request that the prosecutor had asked to be rejected.
The appointed European Prosecutor Dionysios Mouzakis had asked the court to convict the defendants. In his closing argument, he appeared convinced that the trial had "fully proven their guilt". "For the defendants, the offences of fraud on subsidies and false statement submission are proven," the prosecutor stated.
The prosecutor had previously recommended the conviction of all 22 defendants. The court ultimately acquitted three of them.
Source: Newsbeast