Court rejects prosecutor's request to take Rimsevics in custody

RIGA - The Riga District Court in Jurmala on Monday rejected the prosecutor's request to take former Bank of Latvia president Ilmars Rimsevics in custody and pay the EUR 100,000 bail into the state budget.

Prosecutor Viorika Jirgena last week said that Rimsevics' behavior has changed, he has tried to counteract and influence statements of a witness, former shareholder in Trasta Komercbanka, Igors Buimisters.

Rimsevics and businessman Ugis Tabors have been accused of possible attempts to achieve a false testimony of Buimisters in Rimsevics' case. The Riga Vidzeme District Court should start hearing the case on February 15, but Buimisters passed away last year.

The prosecutor also said that Rimsevics has been trying to influence another witness - former Trasta Komercbanka board member Viktors Ziemelis.

The court today said that it cannot assess charges in a different criminal case. The documents submitted by the prosecutor do not prove that Rimsevics has breached the restriction and contacted Buimisters. The court also said that the prosecutor has not provided evidence for Rimsevics' communication with Ziemelis, either.

The next court hearing on Rimsevics' case is scheduled for March 1.

As reported, the European Court of Justice's (ECJ) ruling has "removed all questions" about former Bank of Latvia governor Ilmars Rimsevics' immunity from prosecution and the Riga district court can successfully go ahead with hearing his case.

As reported, Rimsevics was the Bank of Latvia governor from December 20, 2001 to December 20, 2019.

Rimsevics has been charged with two counts of graft, as well as money laundering.