What Chief of Latvian State Police Armands Ruks mentioned in a recent media about the criminal case regarding the murder of insolvency administrator Mārtiņš Bunkus causes concerns about a possible attempt by the one who ordered the kill and supporters to interfere with the trial, said Martins Bunkus Justice Foundation representative Kristaps Bunkus.
Mārtiņš Bunkus was shot dead in the morning on the 30th of May 2018 when he was passing Riga Forest Cemetery in his car. Shortly after, police found a burned-down car not far from the site of the crime.
Three suspects were detained last year: businessmen Mihails Uļmans and Aleksandrs Babenko, and the killer – Viktors Krivošejs.
As for the organiser, no charges were presented, as the person, a citizen of Latvia, died a violent death. TV3 programme Nekā personīga reported that this person was one Genādijs Vaļagins, whose name was mentioned in the case regarding Ivan Haritonov’s group. Vaļagins was shot dead in Riga, Pļavnieki, in 2022.
Representatives of the fund note that during his interview regarding Bunkus’ murder, Armands Ruks said State Police has never experienced such a level of murder preparation.
He also stressed that «in the context of any crime it is necessary to determine who the enemy is, who ordered the crime, what resources are available and what resources are involved».
Ruks also mentioned that nothing is over now that the case has been handed to the prosecution office. He said justice will be served once the court presents a guilty verdict.
«Such announcements from the high command of State Police, especially this close to the next court hearing, during which it will be decided on the maintenance of the security measure applied to Uļmans and Babenko, cause concerns that the organisers of the murder of Mārtiņš Bunkus could attempt to interfere with the trial and avoid responsibility for this crime,» says Kristaps Bunkus.
Considering the aforementioned, Kristaps Bunkus believes «Latvian society and state institutions have to be vigilant and carefully follow future developments and processes». The representative of the fund also stresses that police had previously voiced concerns that Uļmans and Babenko could attempt to interfere with the investigation and influence witnesses.
To reduce the risk of the people under arrest potentially influencing the investigation, the court decided to keep Uļmans and Babenko under arrest.
Previously it was reported that the accused attempted to murder Bunkus as early as autumn 2016. Bunkus survived because the shooter’s firearm jammed.
During the investigation it was uncovered that the motive behind the murder was dislike of the insolvency administrator doing his job. Despite public claims of the murder being related to the insolvency case with Rego Trade LLC, the prosecutor did not confirm if this is the case.
The murderer was paid EUR 300 000 for killing Bunkus. The accused remain under arrest.
The foundation reminds that in December 2022 Riga Court District Prosecution Office’s prosecutor Armīns Meisters mentioned at a press-conference that the people involved in the murder are seasoned criminals, not beginners.
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