Bench warrants issued for two Novartis witnesses

Two bench warrants have been issued ordering two witnesses to appear before a special parliamentary committee looking into the merit of claims of political interference in the Novartis bribery case.

The warrants were issued after the two protected witnesses, known as "Maximos Sarafis" and "Ekaterini Kelesi," failed on Wednesday on Tuesday respectively to present themselves for scheduled hearings at Athens Police Headquarters. 

Sources at the prosecutor's office told Kathimerini that issuing a bench warrant is in line with legal principle.

According to the same source, however, the law does not stipulate penal repercussions for witnesses that fail to show up at the preliminary investigation stage.