A MOSCOW court declared oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky guilty of an array of charges yesterday in a trial widely criticised as politically motivated, sentencing him to nine years in prison minus time served.

A court declared oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky guilty of an array of charges today in a trial widely criticised as politically motivated, sentencing him to nine years in prison minus time served.

Russia today delayed the verdict in the trial of jailed oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky in a case that has alarmed foreign investors, increased oil prices and called into question President Vladimir Putin’s commitment to democracy.