The Court of Economic Affairs (ELT) has found Rīgas namu apsaimniekotājs JSC board chairman Igors Trubko guilty of offering a briber of EUR 2.1 million to Riga City Council Par/Progressive faction leader Mārtiņš Kossovičs, and has sentenced him to four years and six months in prison.
The court of first instance has also applied a prohibition for Trubko to engage in business activities of any kind for a period of five years. Rīgas namu apsaimniekotājs is also fined EUR 124 000.
The court stresses that during the trial there were no doubts about Trubko’s guilt. The court’s assigned penalty is harsher than what the prosecutor had previously requested. The court explained that Trubko’s case was one of the biggest corruption cases involving officials in recent years. The harsh penalty will serve as a signal for other high-ranking officials.
The ruling is subject to appeal at Riga Regional Court.
The prosecutor requested a three-year prison sentence and a four-year prohibition to engage in all kinds of business operations for Trubko. The prosecutor also requested a fine of 200 minimal wages for Rīgas namu apsaimniekotājs.
The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau wrote in a previous press statement that, according to evidence, the bribe in question was offered to secure victory in a concession tender and receive part of the houses currently managed by Rīgas namu pārvaldnieks.
The businessman told Kossovičs which conditions of the tender would be beneficial for Rīgas namu apsaimniekotājs.
Kossovičs told journalists that he informed KNAB of the bribe offer. The deputy said that he has dedicated his political life to creating a policy that cannot be bought, stressing he intends to hold on to this principle.
In 2021 Rīgas namu apsaimniekotājs had suggested taking over certain buildings managed by RNP as part of an experiment. The company had eyed 60 buildings with good savings.
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