Thursday, March 28, 2024

Scientist in German university sentenced for spying for Russia

Russian doctoral student denied any intentional wrongdoing during the trial, saying, “I am not an agent’’.

• April 13, 2022
German court
A German court used to illustrate the story [Photo credit: BBC]

On Wednesday, a court in southern Germany admitted a university scientist to a one-year suspended sentence for spying for the Russian secret service.

The presiding judge at the Higher Regional Court in Munich said the 30-year-old researcher from the University of Augsburg “came to terms that he had done research for a Russian secret service.’’

However, the Russian doctoral student denied any intentional wrongdoing during the trial, saying, “I am not an agent’’.

But he admitted passing on publicly available information to an employee of the Russian Consulate General in Munich, who had since been revealed as an employee of the foreign intelligence service, the SVR.

The accused, however, said he knew nothing about the man’s activities.

He said he could not have imagined that the Russian secret service would be interested in publicly available information anyway.

(dpa/NAN) 

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Funsho Adegboye and CP Aboki Danjuma

States

Police tighten security in Edo, Imo ahead of Easter celebration

The Edo and Imo police commands have directed heads of formations to beef up security in all locations ahead of the East celebration.

Foodstuffs

Agriculture

Easter Blues: Anambra residents lament rising food prices 

Mr Odogwu said Thursday that the high cost of edible products was caused by greed among those who sell them.

Anambra State House of Assembly

Politics

Anambra parliamentary workers begin indefinite strike over financial autonomy

Ifeoma Okoli, PASAN vice-chairman in Anambra, said the industrial action followed a directive and circular received from the association’s national body.

ECOWAS LEADERS

Abuja

ECOWAS says $5.2 billion needed to address infrastructure deficit in member states

The ECOWAS commissioner for infrastructure, energy and digitalisation, Sediko Douka, disclosed this during a news conference in Abuja on Thursday.

ADOKE; MALABU OIL

Anti-Corruption

Malabu Oil Scam: Court discharges former AGF Adoke, others

They were charged with infractions relating to the controversial Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) 245, otherwise known as the Malabu Oil scam.

SANWO-OLU WITH RETIREES

Rights

N4.48 billion pension benefits paid to 1,455 Lagos retirees: LASPEC

The Lagos government said it paid another set of 1,455 retirees N4.48 billion on Thursday as accrued pensions disbursed for March.