Albania ex-central bank chief acquitted over multi-million-euro theft

(TIRANA) - A court in Tirana on Monday acquitted Albania's former central bank governor of charges of abuse of power linked to the theft of millions of euros from bank coffers, the prosecution said.

Ardian Fullani was dismissed from his post and arrested in September last year after the bank discovered that 713 million lek (5.1 million euros) had been stolen from its reserves over the previous four years.

The prosecution had asked for him to be given a five-year sentence, prosecution spokesman Albi Serani told AFP.

Former central bank employee Ardinaj Bitraj was jailed for 13 years in May after admitting to stealing from the bank over a four-year period in order to fund his gambling habit.

Another 15 former employees have been found guilty and sentenced for abuse of power in connection with the case, receiving prison terms ranging from five to 10 years.

Fullani, who took charge of the bank in 2004, denied any involvement in the theft and insisted the bank's financial operations had not been affected by the depletion of its reserves.