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Prosecutor: Ex-IBA head's family members used unlimited cards abroad

05 October 2016 12:42 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Etibar Mammadov – APA. The Baku Court on Grave Crimes on Wednesday held hearing in the case of the imprisoned ex-head of the International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA) and seven more people connected with him.

Azer Taghiyev, a lawyer of accused Ibrahim Huseynov, made a defense speech at the hearing presided over by judge Afgan Hajiyev, claiming that charges against his defendant are groundless.

“The process was carried out in haste, and it means a violation of his defendant’s rights,” said the lawyer. “Embezzlement charges against Ibrahim Huseynov are not right either, because he has not been an official and had no ties with the bank.”

“In addition, Huseynov has partially repaid the loans granted to him. This proves that the defendant didn’t intend to embezzle the funds,” said lawyer Taghiyev, asking the court to acquit his defendant.

With regard to the lawyer’s speech, public prosecutor Farid Naghiyev noted that although it was said there was no evidence on embezzlement, the case materials include the facts on the use of unlimited cards by Jahangir Hajiyev’s family members in hotels, expensive shops and health centers abroad.

“Hajiyev’s wife Zamira Hajiyeva had been granted a large amount of loans though she didn’t present any business plan. On the other hand, if the bank’s projects were to bring income, why did the loans issued since 2008 fail?” he added.

The lawyer, in response, said that the costs of Hajiyev’s family members did not exceed one million manats. “Hahiyev’s salary was high enough, and he was able to meet his family’s expenses,” he said.

Later on, other accused – Kanan Orujov, Anar Sultanov, Mammad Jahangirov, Yusif Alakbarov and Ilgar Abdullayev made final statements, pleading not guilty and noting that they had followed the decisions and instructions of the bank’s credit committee and management.

Jahangir Hahiyev and Ibrahim Huseynov asked the court for a week to make their final pleas.

Asked by the judge whether a week isn’t too long, Hajiyev answered a week is nothing compared to 17 years in prison.

The hearing will be continued on October 10.

The former head of the International Bank of Azerbaijan Jahangir Hajiyev, the former heads of the bank’s Central branch Anar Sultanov and Ilgar Abdullayev, the former director of Inter Security LLC Ibrahim Huseynov, the former head of the bank’s Central branch Yusif Alakbarov, the former head of the bank’s Transport Branch Kanan Orujov, the former head of the bank’s Narimanov Branch Mammad Jahangirov and the former director of the Baku hazelnut factory Azad Javadov, who are involved in the case, are charged under articles 179.3.1, 179.3.2 (embezzlement on a large scale by an organized group), 308.2 (abuse of power, resulting in grave consequences), 309.2 (abuse of power, resulting in grave crimes), 313 (official forgery), 228.1 and 228.4 (illegal storage and carrying of firearms).