Two of the former “protected witnesses” in the explosive Novartis case that erupted mostly between 2015-19 have now been charged with two criminal counts, namely, providing false testimony and making a false report.

The charges stemmed from their testimony – over several months – before judicial officers assigned at the time to the anti-corruption prosecutor’s office alleging that 10 previous officeholders and politicians took kickbacks from Novartis’ subsidiary in Greece.

The 10 individuals named at the time by at least three “protected witnesses” included former prime ministers, health ministers and others, deemed as political opponents of the then SYRIZA-ANEL coalition government.

A hearing before a single-justice Athens misdemeanor court is set for March 7 for the pair, known previously under their aliases of “Maximos Sarafis” and “Ekaterini Kelesi”.

Both individuals, “F.D.” and “Μ.Μ” have been subsequently identified as the two previous protected witnesses. The pair were former high-ranking employees of Novartis Greece.

Their allegation-filled testimony came amid a lengthy and costly investigation by the then head of the anti-corruption prosecutor’s office, Eleni Touloupaki. In the end, the top prosecutor did not corroborate a single instance of wrong-doing, and no indictment was ever presented before a Greek court.

However, upon receiving testimony involving previous and serving deputies, Touloupaki sent the allegations before Parliament. A majority of deputies at the time, mainly from the ruling coalition, voted in favor of continuing the probe and lifting immunity.