Former Croatian PM Jailed for Corruption

Posted November 20th, 2012 at 12:35 pm (UTC-5)
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A Croatian court has convicted and sentenced former prime minister Ivo Sanader to 10 years in prison for corruption.

Judges at the Zagreb court found Sanader guilty of accepting more than $6 million in bribes from a Hungarian oil company in exchange for retaining controlling rights in Croatia's state-run oil company.

The court also sentenced Sanader for taking nearly $700,000 in fees from an Austrian bank during his time as defense minister in what Judge Ivan Turudic called “war profiteering.”

Sanader appeared emotionless Tuesday as the verdict was read. He has denied any wrongdoing, and his lawyers are expected to appeal the verdict.

Security guards immediately led him away to prison, where he will be detained until the appeal.

Sanader stepped down as prime minister in 2009. He was detained in Austria in December 2010 after Croatian authorities issued an international arrest warrant for him.

He is facing a separate corruption trial for allegedly funneling money from public companies to his Croatian Democratic Union and himself while in office.