Pubdate: Fri, 12 Feb 1999
Source: Reuters
Copyright: 1999 Reuters Limited.

GUATEMALA REVERSES CONVICTION II

The court also reduced the sentence of Haenggi's son Nicolas, 23, in
the case for "personal coverup" to three years from 20 years, which is
commutable for a fine.

Another Swiss citizen, 31-year-old Silvio Geovanelli, had his sentence
for "supplying the means" for drug-trafficking reduced to five years
from 20 years.  His new sentence is also commutable to payment of a
fine.

German Frank Schilling was acquitted of an original sentence of five
years and ordered to be released immediately. Guatemalan police office
Jose Luis Zebadua, was also acquitted of an original sentence of 12
years for drug-trafficking.

The five men were arrested in 1997 after drug agents in the Atlantic
port  city of Puerto Barrios seized 28 pound (13 kg) of cocaine in a
shipment of ornamental plants bound for Europe.
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