LONDON, December 19 – RAPSI. Litigation between disgraced oligarch Boris Berezovsky and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in the High Court of Justice in London is approaching to its final stage: Jonathan Sumption, QC for Abramivich, is expected to make its final remarks on Monday, the Russian Legal Information agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) reports.
Sumption will to take the floor for two days to sum up everything said during the trial, including witnesses’ testimonies.
Berezovsky’s counsel Laurence Rabinovitz will deliver his final conclusions in mid-January.
Berezovsky seeks compensation for the assets he was allegedly forced to sell to Abramovich between 2000 and 2003. The lawsuit was filed in 2007.
Boris Berezovsky claims in his lawsuit that Roman Abramovich intimidated him and his business partner Badri Patarkatsishvili into selling a number of assets, including a 43-percent interest in the Sibneft oil company and a stake in the Rusal aluminum group, at a fraction of their value.
Berezovsky alleged that Abramovich abused his confidence.
Abramovich challenged the statement that Berezovsky owned stakes in these companies. Chelsea football club owner said he paid millions of dollars, often in cash, to Berezovsky only for political protection, however the payments were effected legally.
According to Abramovich Berezovsky had gained such a clout that became a “political corporation” attracting all Russia’s major businesses which “paid for his services”.
