Appeals court upholds charges against former defense ministry official

An Athens Court of Appeals has found former general secretary for procurements Yiannis Sbokos guilty of taking bribes in connection with the purchase of the TOR-M1 short-range missile defense system.

The court also upheld charges against Petros Christodoulides, a broker, and businessman Giorgos Kamaris.

Judges however dismissed charges against broker Giorgos Christodoulides and businessman Panos Germanos.

All five had been charged of money laundering and bribe taking in connection with a deal for the acquisition of TOR-M1 missiles that was signed in 1998 when Akis Tsochatzopoulos was defense minister.