A court hearing has been held in the criminal case initiated by the State Security Service (SSS) of Azerbaijan against Anass Derraz, Vice President of the French company “SAUR,” who is accused of receiving large-scale bribes and committing other criminal offenses, APA reports.
At the Baku Court on Grave Crimes, the hearing chaired by Judge Farid Namazov featured testimony from Azerbaijani-born Russian billionaire Farkhad Akhmedov, who was summoned as a witness.
In his testimony, given in the presence of his lawyer, Shaig Mirzayev, Akhmedov stated that he is currently a citizen of Russia and that he knows the accused. Confirming the testimony he gave during the preliminary investigation, he said: “Due to the baseless claim of my ex-wife, the UK court decided to seize my yacht. The United Arab Emirates was informed about this, and the yacht was detained while in international waters. When I discussed this issue with Anass Derraz, he got in touch with Alexandre Benalla regarding the matter. With his help, the seizure imposed on my yacht was supposed to be lifted using international channels. Based on our conversations, they said $6,140,000 was needed to get the job done. A tripartite agreement was signed, and an initial transfer of $600,000 was required for the process. Out of this amount, I transferred $400,000 to Alexandre Benalla’s account and $200,000 to Derraz’s account from my personal bank account. However, they failed to fulfill their obligations.”
Akhmedov added that later, the SSS took testimony from Anass Derraz: “I also provided an explanation. There is fraud and deception involved here. To put it another way, it could also be considered bribery. Derraz always avoided conversations. He said he would return the money. I have pomegranate plantations in Goychay, where people work 6–7 hours a day for 20 manats. These people took $600,000 and did nothing. Why don’t you return this money?”
Answering questions, Farkhad Akhmedov said, “I only spoke with Derraz. I have no connection with Alexandre Benalla and have never met him. At that time, I knew Anass Derraz as a lawyer; I didn’t know he was an engineer.”
Later, the testimony given by Farkhad Akhmedov during the preliminary investigation was announced.
The witness confirmed his previous statement and added that the damage caused to him had not been compensated. Akhmedov also stated that he had not filed any other claim regarding the matter.
The hearing will continue on November 6.
Note that according to the charges, in a criminal case investigated by Azerbaijan’s State Security Service (SSS), former head of the French Presidential Security Service Alexandre Benalla and Anass Derraz, Vice President of the French company SAUR, which has a turnover of billions, are accused of receiving large-scale bribes and committing other criminal offenses in exchange for lifting international sanctions against Azerbaijani-born Russian billionaire Farhad Ahmadov’s assets in 2018.
Previous reports published in both foreign and local media claim that the two men solicited bribes from Ahmadov, promising in return to secure the release of his luxurious “Luna” yacht from international seizure and protect him from sanctions.
According to available information, a portion of the multimillion-dollar bribe was reportedly transferred to Anass Derraz’s account at Al Hilal Bank and to Alexandre Benalla’s account at Bank of Africa United Kingdom PLC SC PAR.
Anass Derraz was detained in Azerbaijan under circumstances that remain unclear, and he has been prohibited from leaving the country. Azerbaijan has also requested INTERPOL to issue a warrant for Alexandre Benalla.
Anass Derraz has been charged under Articles 193-1.3.2 (legalization of property obtained through criminal means, when committed in a large amount) and 32.5, 311.3.3 (complicity in passive bribery, when committed in a large amount) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
A preventive measure prohibiting him from leaving his place of residence has been applied against him.
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