Trial Sperisen demands eight million francs in compensation

Erwin Sperisen, the former head of Guatemala's national civil police, is demanding eight million francs in compensation from the state of Geneva. He is arguing that he is innocent and was unjustly deprived of his freedom for eleven years.

Sperisen's defense lawyers demanded this compensation on Tuesday before the Geneva Appeals Chamber. This sum also includes the costs of the defense. Giorgio Campa, one of his lawyers, concluded his plea by asking the judges to acquit the Swiss-Guatemalan dual citizen.

He called on them to pass a judgment of reparation and not a judgment of shame. "You must recognize that my client was the victim of a miscarriage of justice".

Sperisen had been convicted of murder and later of accessory to murder and had already been tried three times in Geneva. The defendant is accused by the public prosecutor of having consented to the shooting of seven prisoners by a hit squad during a prison mutiny.

SDA