Former Raiffeisen Schweiz chief executive Pierin Vincenz on Wednesday urged a Zurich appeals court to acquit him of all charges, asserting he had never intended to harm the bank or its payments unit Aduno Group.
Vincenz, whose eight-day trial concluded in Zurich, stated in brief closing remarks, "I never wanted to harm Raiffeisen or Aduno." His business partner Beat Stocker echoed the claim, adding that he had also never sought to damage either company. Two other defendants waived closing statements, while a third maintained his innocence.
Prosecutors, however, had earlier called for six-year prison sentences for both Vincenz and Stocker. The legal team for the accused had spent the preceding days delivering detailed pleas for acquittal.
The presiding judge indicated that a verdict would not be delivered for "several weeks," prolonging the uncertainty for all parties involved.
The case centers on allegations related to Vincenz’s tenure as CEO, which concluded in 2015, and subsequent business dealings. No further details on the charges were provided in the courtroom statements.
