A German court sentenced two former Siemens managers to separate probation terms of two years and nine months on May 14 for bribing executives at Italian power giant Enel to obtain gas turbine contracts.
The former finance chief of Siemens' power engineering division was sentenced to two years' probation, while a former engineer was given nine months, the regional court in Darmstadt ruled after finding the men guilty of paying six million euros (US$8 million) in bribes to Enel executives between 1999 and 2002.
Siemens itself was ordered to pay 38 million euros (US$51 million) in compensation to the state for the profits it made on the contracts.
The company said that it would appeal the fine. "We maintain that the court's order to forfeit the profits from two orders placed by Enel with Siemens' power generation division for the supply of power plant equipment in 2000 and 2001 is illegal," the statement said. "The court's decision has no basis in law or in fact."
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2007
