PRAGUE (Reuters) – A Czech court acquitted former prime minister Andrej Babis on Monday of alleged fraud, improving the billionaire’s prospects in a presidential election this week in which he is among the favorites.
The prosecution had sought a suspended jail term and a fine for Babis, accusing him of illegally tapping 2 million euros ($2.1 million) of European Union funds to build a leisure and conference centre near the capital Prague.
Babis, who did not attend the ruling on Monday, has denied any wrongdoing.
In his final statement at the court on Friday Babis said the case was politically motivated.
“The whole trial is fabricated, it is a political matter, no evidence was presented,” he told reporters as he was leaving the courtroom.
With his ANO party currently in opposition, Babis, 68, is seeking to win the presidency and replace his frequent ally Milos Zeman whose second term ends in March.
The verdict may improve his chances in the election, with polls indicating he is running close to independent rivals Petr Pavel and Danuse Nerudova.
No candidate is expected to win outright in the first round, which takes place on Friday and Saturday, meaning a run-off round between the two top candidates is likely to follow on Jan 27-28.
($1 = 0.9353 euros)
(Reporting by Robert Muller, writing by Jan Lopatka; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Conor Humphries)
