A former Swiss government official is facing trial in connection with one of the biggest corruption scandals to have hit the public sector in recent years.
The trial of the former civil servant accused of corruption in the purchase of computer equipment opened at the Federal Criminal Court on Monday. Three managers from private companies are also facing charges.
The main defendant is a former head of department at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) who oversaw procurement for the unemployment insurance data centre. The former official allegedly favoured three specific companies between 2004 and 2014, and received gifts and invitations for himself and third parties from the co-defendants.
The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has charged the main defendant with misconduct in public office, document forgery and accepting bribes. The three company directors are charged with active bribery and, in some cases, criminal mismanagement and forgery or money laundering.
The former SECO employee is accused of manipulating the evaluations of the tenders sent by the three companies in order to give them preference. In doing so, the 68-year-old would have impeded free competition and caused material and immaterial damage to SECO and the Swiss government.
In return, the former civil servant allegedly received benefits totalling more than CHF 1.7 million ($1.88 million). These included invitations, the sponsorship of events, cash, and gifts such as soccer match tickets. Third parties also benefited. The trial is scheduled to last two weeks.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
Swiss study: insects mainly migrate at midday and dusk
This content was published on
A study led by the Swiss Ornithological Institute in canton Lucerne is helping to better understand the movement patterns of migratory insects.
Red Cross: 22 staff killed in Middle East since October
This content was published on
The Red Cross and Red Crescent network in Gaza and Israel has lost 22 staff members since last October, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) said on Wednesday.
Dortmund’s Kobel is first Swiss goalie in Champions League final
This content was published on
Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel has achieved history by becoming the first Swiss goalkeeper to reach a Champion’s League final.
University students in Switzerland join Gaza protest wave
This content was published on
Pro-Palestinian activists occupied university buildings in Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich on Tuesday, widening the protest movement in the Alpine nation.
TradeXBank to resume full operations after Sberbank Switzerland taken off sanctions list
This content was published on
TradeXBank, the former Swiss branch of Russia’s Sberbank, will be able to resume its dollar-denominated activities from the second half of this year.
Geneva decides not to remove controversial memorials
This content was published on
The city of Geneva has presented an action plan regarding a series of controversial local statues and monuments of historical figures linked to racism, colonialism or slavery.
University of Lausanne calls for end to pro-Palestine sit-in
This content was published on
The pro-Palestinian occupation continues at the University of Lausanne (UNIL). On Monday evening, a group of students refused to agree to the deadline set by the rectorate.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Transparency International: in fight against corruption, Switzerland can do better
This content was published on
Switzerland has one of the lowest levels of perceived corruption in the public sector but Transparency International says it still has work to do.
This content was published on
The law was changed in Switzerland in 2003 to make firms criminally liable if they fail to take reasonable steps to prevent serious crimes. A new report from Transparency International (TI) SwitzerlandExternal link reveals that despite frequent scandals, just eight convictions have been recorded in the past 20 years. “The shortcomings of criminal liability of…
Corruption trial of diamond magnate opens in Switzerland
This content was published on
The trial of Israeli billionaire Beny Steinmetz, accused of corrupt business practices in Guinea, started in Geneva on Monday.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.