The former Minister of National Defense Akis Tsohatzopoulos maintained his line of defense on the third (and final) day of his testimony in court, by arguing that he is completely innocent.
Mr. Tsohatzopoulos claimed that there is a conspiracy against him and named former PM and PASOK leader Giorgos Papandreou, business tycoon (and Korydallos prison-mate) Lavrentis Lavrentiadis and the media for waging a slander campaign against him.
The defendant vehemently denied any reference to bribes and insisted that evidence brought against him, such as personal documents retrieved from his office, were fabricated. When asked to comment on the testimony of his accountant Froso Lampropoulou, he argued that he could not be implicated by “gossip and fairytales”.
Other testimonies
After Mr. Tsohatzopoulos finished, co-defendant Pantelis Zachariadis testified that he was unaware of the connection between Nikos Zigras and Akis Tsohatzopoulos, arguing that he was under the impression that he was to deal with foreign investors from Cyprus and Lebanon.
The brother of Vicky Stamati, Panagiotis Stamatis, who appears to have been in charge of costly restoration on Mr. Tsohatzopoulos’ luxury city center apartment, testified in court that he was unaware of any wrong-doing and that “he was obligated” to head the project during his sister’s pregnancy, citing family values.
Mr. Stamatis asserted that the ordeal of his parents’ detainment has affected the mental health of the couple’s 7-year-old son, who is currently residing with Stamatis family members in Fthiotida.
The representative of Morelia Konstantinos Antoniadis told the courts that he was first-introduced to Nikos Zigras in 1999, who claimed to be representing a group of Arab investors. He revealed that he did not question the origin of the funds and only became aware of Mr. Tsohatzopoulos’ involvement in 2011, when German newspaper Spiegel reported on the case.
The other Morelia representative, Horatio Melas reported that after discovering the involvement of Mr. Tsohatzopoulos, Zigras contacted him to comfort him that there would be no problem. Mr. Melas claims he had only met the former Minister once, at Mr. Zigras wedding in 2002 and that he had no reason to suspect Mr. Zigras, since he was prompt and trustworthy in their financial dealings.
