As BNN was informed by Riga Regional Court (RAT), the verdict announced on Wednesday, the 26th of September in the so-called Lembergs criminal case may come into effect only after the time limit for its appeal has expired.
In this case the time limit is 20 days after the release of the full text of the verdict.
“Because none of the accused have admitted their guilt in the crimes they are accused of,
it is highly likely that cassation complaints will be submitted over this verdict,”
the portal was told by RAT assistant chairman for public relations Raimonds Ločmelis. He said currently the accused Aivars Lembergs is not allowed to take post as city council chairman. He was also previously released from arrest on bail.
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An accordance with Section 3 of the Law on the Status of the Councillor of the Local Government Council, “the mandate of a councillor shall expire before term: […] 2) on the day when a court judgment of conviction of the councillor has entered into legal effect or a court ruling whereby the court has established trusteeship over a councillor has entered into effect”. However, if a cassation complaint is submitted, as the RAT representative said, the verdict will not come into effect until the Supreme Court of Law announces its own verdict in the case. This means Aivars Lembergs will remain a deputy of Ventspils City Council until then.
Also read: Regional court sentences infamous ex-Mayor of Ventspils to four years in prison