In a corruption trial in Vienna, ten defendants have to answer on Tuesday, including the department store owner and billionaire René Benko. The focus of the proceedings is the former Vienna municipal councilor and Greens politician Christoph Chorherr. He is accused of abuse of office and bribery, the other defendants incitement to abuse of office and bribery. All suspects deny the allegations.
According to the public prosecutor’s office, in return for donations to his association, which is involved in school projects in South Africa, Chorherr supported the donors’ real estate projects in a beneficial manner. This should also include a company Benkos. The donors vehemently deny a connection between money payments to the association and the pursuit of their own interests. Eleven days of negotiations are initially scheduled for the process. (dpa)