EU corruption case suspect to stay in detention, Belgian court rules

In latest developments in the European Union corruption scandal, a Belgian appeals court decided to keep Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, an Italian suspect in the matter, in detention. The decision was reached after prosecutors objected to his release with an electronic tracking bracelet. Three other people were arrested in the matter in December on charges of corruption, money laundering and criminal organisation within the European Parliament. 

A Belgian court had initially agreed to release Figa-Talamanca with an electronic bracelet. But the prosecution wasn't happy with the decision and appealed against it, which was then overturned on Tuesday. "The modality of the electronic bracelet, that was given to N.F-T by the council chamber has been modified to a mere prolongation of the pre-trial detention," the Belgian Federal Prosecutor's Office said in a statement referring to the suspect by his initials.

The statement said a hearing involving suspect Panzeri was postponed at his own request to January 17, 2023. The Qatar scandal is one of the biggest to ever hit Brussels. Four leaders are suspected of taking bribes from Qatar to influence policy making.

Bags of cash were also recovered from their homes and offices in raids conducted by the police. They have recovered around 1.5 million euros (£1.58 million) in cash several places linked to the suspects. Pictures of suitcases packed with money found in hotel rooms were released by the police. 

The other three currently in pre-trial detention include Eva Kaili, the then-vice president of the European Parliament, former EU lawmaker Pier Antonio Panzeri and Kaili's partner Francesco Giorgi, who was a parliamentary assistant. Kaili has accused her partner of betraying her, with her lawyer saying that he was the once with the bag of cash and she had nothing to do with the matter. Figa-Talamanca was the secretary-general of a human rights campaign group.

Prosecutors alleged that this institution was used by the suspects to pump in money paid by a Middle Eastern country to buy influence in EU institutions. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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