The board of German engineering giant Siemens meets today to give the final verdict on whether to launch a financial witch-hunt against former executives.

Top managers including former chief executive heinrich von Pierer could be sued for several million euros in damages for failing to prevent the billion-pound bribery scandal that continues to rock the company.

The meeting comes the day after a top Siemens manager got a two years suspended jail sentence for his part in the bribes-for-business scandal. The presiding judge in the case against former Siemens executive Reinhard Siekaczek, Peter Noll, criticised many of the former top managers at the company for failing to appear as witnesses. he said he would have found it "good if those in positions of responsibility also showed responsibility." he added that there was a suspicion that the company board knew what Siekaczek was up to. The board is expected to go after the assets of the former bosses.