Two suspects arrested over bribe claims in submarine deal

The former managing director of Skaramanga Shipyarads, Sotiris Emmanouil, and an associate of ex-Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, Yiannis Beltsios, have been arrested in connection to allegations of bribery for arms contracts.

Warrants for the arrest of the two men were issued after former Defense Ministery official Apostolos Kantas alleged during testimony that they had received under-the-table payments in connection with a submarine deal.

They face charges of accepting bribes and laundering money.

Kantas, deputy head of procurements at the ministry between 1996 and 2002, told the judges how he managed to stash away some 16 million euros in bribes. He identified the deals for which he received under-the-table payments and said two local representatives of German companies had bribed him.

Both men have been arrested and questioned.