Arms dealer Liakounakos and three others get 16-year suspended term over defense deal

A three-judge criminal court in Athens on Wednesday passed down a 16-year suspended prison sentence to Greek arms dealer Thomas Liakounakos, a senior executive of his company SONAK and two former defense ministry officials in connection with an electronic defense system which SONAK was commissioned to provide for the Greek army but which it failed to deliver.

Apart from Liakounakos, the court convicted his associate Ilias Arkoumaneas and two former general secretaries of the defense ministry Giorgos Kolliris and Evangelos Vasilakos.

Another 13 defendants received smaller sentences.

According to the court, the failed deal cost the Greek state 48.4 million euros.