Former senator sentenced to four years in prison

Ústí nad Labem’s regional court on Monday, in an appeal, sentenced former Civic Democrat senator Alexandr Novák, convicted earlier of bribery, to four years in prison. In the original proceedings, the defendant received only a two-year suspended sentence. The case, in which Mr Novak accepted a bribe of 40 million crowns, dates back to 1999, when Chomůtov town hall sold shares of the Severočeská energetika and Severočeská plynarenská energy and gas companies to a German firm. On Monday, the court upheld a five-year ban excluding Mr Novák from public office and a five-million crown fine.

Author: Jan Velinger