A second-instance court struck down a previous guilty verdict in 2010, citing insufficient evidence and serous procedural errors and ordered a new trial.

Kulcsar had been sentenced to eight years in prison in 2008.

Former K&H executive Tibor E. Rejto and entrepreneur and journalist Tamas Forro were acquitted of related charges, also in a repeated procedure.

Of the 15 other defendants, Csaba Kerek was sentenced to 45 months in prison, while others were given sentences of two years or less or were acquitted.

The court ordered the seizure of assets worth a total of Ft 1 billion from several defendants and companies.

If the verdict becomes binding, then, taking into consideration the time spent in custody and house arrest, Kulcsar will have to serve about 18 more months in prison, Nepszabadsag observes.

The defence filed an appeal against the ruling, while the prosecutor called for a tougher sentence.

The Kulcsar trial has cost the state Ft 43 million in expenses, judge Agnes Gimesi noted.

Source: Hungary Around the Clock

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MTI photo: Koszticsák Szilárd