On Friday, the 4th of August, Riga Regional Court announced the verdict in the so-called second digital television criminal case, acquitting several persons of all charges, including ex-Minister of Transport and current 14th Saeima deputy Ainārs Šlesers, as LETA was told by the court.
The ruling is subject to appeal in the Supreme Court.
Among the accused in this criminal case were Šlesers, ex-Prime Minister Andris Šķēle, ex-chairman of telecommunications company Tet (formerly Lattelecom) Juris Gulbis, ex-state secretary to the Ministry of Transport Nils Freivalds, ex-chairman of Latvia’s State Radio and Television Centre (LVRTC) Lauris Dripe, ex-board member of LLC Hannu Digital Gintars Kavacis, ex-commercial director of Tet Toms Ābele and its Business Support Office manager Toms Meisītis.
Charges were presented to the accused for actions related to the 2008 tender by the Ministry of Transport for the introduction of TV programme land broadcasting in digital form and the contracts signed with Tet, Hannu Digital and LTRTC.
The actions of the accused, according to the prosecution, were intended to illegally and unjustifiably include Hannu Ditigal in this project. As a result of these actions, this company received finances from Tet worth several million euros, unjustifiably making this project more expensive.
According to the prosecution, the possible amount that was acquired illegally through this process is close to three million euros.
The crimes the aforementioned individuals were accused of took place in 2008 and 2009, when the Ministry of Transport organised a tender for the introduction of digital television. Contracts were signed afterwards. Hannu Digital was included then.
Although Tet did not apply as a victim in the criminal process, the prosecutor nevertheless said this would not put the case at risk.
Previously the Economic Court acquitted all the of the accused in this criminal case.
Previously during debates Zelčs asked the court to find Šķēle guilty of fraud and money laundering. The prosecution requested a three-year prison sentence for him, a fine of EUR 75 000 and confiscation of property.
The prosecution also wanted to enforce from the former politician EUR 1 266 355, which, according to the prosecutor, was illegally obtained in the first place.
For Šlesers the prosecution wanted to find him guilty of fraud and sentence him to a EUR 65 000 fine without confiscation of property or probation period.
Also read: More than 50 witnesses line up for questioning in second digital television case trial