Two arms brokers allegedly arranged illegal deals to supply ex-Soviet surface-to-air missile systems to South Sudan and fighter jets to Libya during its civil war, prosecutors told a London court on Tuesday.
British national David Greenhalgh, 68, and Greek national Christos Farmakis, 48, are facing 11 and 12 charges respectively for their alleged involvement in the unlicensed supply of weapons between 2009 and 2016.
Both defendants have pleaded not guilty. Their trial began this week at Southwark Crown Court in London. Farmakis is not attending the proceedings, which are continuing in his absence, the jury was informed.
Prosecutor Edmund Burge told the court that Greenhalgh and Farmakis maintained “very close connections to senior figures” in South Sudan. He said Farmakis was appointed as South Sudan’s “honorary consul” to Greece and Cyprus, strengthening their alleged influence.
The court heard that the pair brokered a deal for a “complete air defence missile system” valued at nearly $55 million, which was sourced from Ukraine between 2009 and 2011.
At the time, South Sudan was still part of Sudan and subject to a British arms embargo, as it did not gain independence until 2011. Prosecutors allege the defendants attempted to conceal the true destination of the weapons using a Ugandan end-user certificate as cover.
Burge further alleged that Farmakis was arrested in 2016 after using his work email at the government-funded Greater London Enterprise to arrange private arms deals. The email account reportedly forwarded correspondence that led investigators to documents linked to attempted sales of fighter jets and other weapons to Libya following the 2011 Arab Spring.
Additional evidence presented in court suggests the pair may also have been involved in attempted arms arrangements involving Iran, Iraq, and Syria, in alleged breaches of international sanctions and embargoes.
The trial is ongoing and is expected to conclude in June.
