Baku: A court hearing was conducted at the Baku Court on Grave Crimes in the case against Anass Derraz, Vice President of the French company ‘SAUR,’ who faces charges of receiving large-scale bribes and other criminal offenses, the Azeri-Press News Agency (APA) reports.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Azerbaijani-born Russian billionaire Farkhad Akhmedov testified in the proceedings, chaired by Judge Farid Namazov. Akhmedov, who is currently a Russian citizen, was summoned as a witness. During his testimony, Akhmedov confirmed previous statements given during the preliminary investigation and detailed his interactions with Anass Derraz and Alexandre Benalla. He explained how his yacht had been seized due to a UK court decision following a claim from his ex-wife, and how Derraz and Benalla were contacted to help lift the seizure through international channels.
Akhmedov revealed that they claimed $6,140,000 was needed, and a tripartite agreement was signed, necessitating an initial transfer of $600,000. Of this amount, $400,000 was sent to Benalla’s account and $200,000 to Derraz’s account. However, the obligations were not fulfilled, leading to further testimony from Derraz to the State Security Service (SSS).
Akhmedov expressed frustration over the unfulfilled promises and questioned the return of the funds, drawing a comparison to the wages of workers at his pomegranate plantations in Goychay. He emphasized that despite conversations with Derraz, the money had not been returned.
Further questioning revealed that Akhmedov had only communicated with Derraz and had no direct connection with Alexandre Benalla, whom he had never met. Akhmedov understood Derraz to be a lawyer at the time, unaware of his engineering background.
The court also reviewed the testimony Akhmedov provided during the preliminary investigation, where he reiterated that the damage he suffered had not been compensated and that no additional claims had been filed by him regarding the matter.
The hearing is set to continue on November 6. The charges against Derraz and Benalla stem from a criminal case investigated by Azerbaijan’s SSS, involving allegations of receiving bribes to lift sanctions against Akhmedov’s assets in 2018. Reports have surfaced suggesting that bribes were solicited to secure the release of Akhmedov’s yacht, ‘Luna,’ from international seizure and to protect him from sanctions.
Information indicates that part of the bribe was transferred to Derraz’s account at Al Hilal Bank and Benalla’s account at Bank of Africa United Kingdom PLC SC PAR. Derraz remains detained in Azerbaijan, prohibited from leaving the country, while Azerbaijan has requested INTERPOL to issue a warrant for Benalla.
Derraz faces charges under Articles 193-1.3.2 and 32.5, 311.3.3 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which involve the legalization of property obtained through criminal means and complicity in passive bribery, both in large amounts. A preventive measure has been applied to restrict his movement.