Tribunal Dismisses Directorate Suit Against Ishukone | EVE Online

Tribunal Dismisses Directorate Suit Against Ishukone

2009-02-21 - By Svarthol

Vuorrassi - The Caldari Business Tribunal's Lonetrek Regional Court dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Caldari Providence Directorate against Ishukone Corporation today. The suit, filed a week ago, alleged that Ishukone officials engaged in large-scale embezzlement and collaboration with Gallente agents, necessitating a Tribunal investigation.

The Tribunal’s decision surmised that subsequent evidence presented by Ishukone Watch, as well as Tribunal analysis of confiscated Ishukone data, demonstrates the situation as "a criminal enterprise, not an act of international espionage." Jurisdiction, in turn, belongs to Ishukone Watch. By court order, the confiscated data returned to Ishukone immediately, and the Tribunal investigation's records were sealed. The court refrained from fining the Directorate, quoting the Tribunal justices’ belief that the suit was filed in good faith based on presented evidence.

Most legal observers in the community expected this result after the dramatic raids last week by Ishukone Watch, but the Directorate’s lead counsel, Major Nikolai Kintoraa, found the decision premature. "Frankly, we are disappointed at the Tribunal's hasty decision," he told reporters after the hearing. "The Directorate remains skeptical that the evidence presented by Ishukone Watch explains all the behavior seen by our investigators, and we intend to continue to look into the matter."

Ishukone's lead counsel, Ikasari Kogas, said that the decision was a "complete vindication" and that the corporation bore no ill will towards the Directorate. "Ishukone is satisfied with the court's decision that this was an honest mistake, and we have no plans to file a countersuit."