On Tuesday, the 24th of January, Riga Regional Court viewed the so-called Zolitude tragedy criminal case in appeal order. In the end the court declared construction engineer Ivars Sergets guilty. Other accused parties received acquittal.
The court of first instance originally sentenced Sergets to six years in prison. The court of appeal added six more months to his sentence. Sergets is also required to pay several thousand euros of moral compensation. He is also not allowed to work in his profession for a period of five years.
The other five accused persons in this criminal case were given full acquittal. Previously the prosecution office submitted an appeal protest and requested the court to cancel the ruling in regards to the accused Andris Gulbis, Andris Kalinka, Staņislavs Kumpiņs, Mārtiņš Draudiņš, Marika Treija, Aija Meļņikova, Jānis Balodis and Inna Šuvajevas, who were previously found not guilty.
The court of appeal also made for side-rulings.
First of all, the court informed the senior prosecutor of the problems that were observed in prosecutors’ work on the criminal procedure. According to the court, the disproportionately large volume of evidence slowed the trial. The entire volume of evidence takes up 559 pages, most of which were never used during the trial. Additionally, materials of the criminal case also include other documents, including ones written in foreign languages, that were never used during the trial.
Secondly, the court informed the senior prosecutor of the need to commence a separate criminal procedure over possible document forgery that may have taken place during the manufacture of metallic structures. Information regarding the possible forgery was reported during the trial.
The court also condemned the actions of attorney at law Jevgēnija Tverjanoviča-Bore, who during debates requested the court to enforce a compensation of EUR 300 000 in favour of her client Anatolijs Bļinovs even though her client had died in August 2022.
The court also outlined violations that were committed during the preparation of the ruling of the court of first instance. The court of appeal instance believes that
the ruling of the court of first instance does not reflect or assess all evidence submitted to court.
The main problems revolve around inappropriately reflected testimonies and certain evidence.
The prosecution office submitted an appeal protest, which exceeds 1 200 pages. The court also received an appeal complaint from Ivars Sergets’ defence attorney, as well as more than 50 appeal complaints from victims and their representatives.
On the 21st of November 2013 the roof of Maxima supermarket in Zolitude caved in, killing 54 people
and injuring several dozen.
More on this topic: Prosecution and defence appeal court ruling in Maxima tragedy case