Prosecutor wants MP Adamsons

RIGA (BNS) - Prosecutor General Janis Maizitis on Aug. 8 asked Parliament to give its consent for launching a criminal prosecution of MP Janis Adamsons, because the Prosecutor General's Office has proof Adamsons had intentionally distributed offensive and defamatory information about three high ranking state officials.

Adamsons headed the parliamentary commission investigating the pedophilia scandal.

The pre-trial investigation conducted by the Constitution Protection Office and the prosecutor's office has proved that while being a state official, Adamsons has intentionally spread insulting and defamatory information about former Prime Minister Andris Skele, former Justice Minister Valdis Birkavs and state Revenue Service director general Andrejs Sonciks, being well aware the information is not true, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.

The prosecutor's office believes Adamsons has ill-used his service position and has caused significant damage to the state power, as well as rights and interests of persons, resulting in severe consequences.

Under the criminal law, the offense is punishable with a jail term of up to 8 years or a fine of up to 150 minimum monthly wages. The minimum monthly wage presently is 50 lats ($82).

The prosecutor's office also said that criminal investigation continues against several persons who had provided false testimony during the pre-trial investigation.

The prosecutor's office opened a criminal case over Adamsons' remarks after he named Skele, Birkavs and Sonciks as possibly linked to the pedophilia case.

The three officials turned to the Prosecutor General's Office in the wake of Adamsons' statements, but the prosecutor's office closed the investigation in the possible link of the three to the pedophilia case due to the lack of criminal action.

The three criminal cases were opened based on the materials of the parliamentary commission investigating the pedophilia case and were directly linked to statements by Adamsons about the possible link of the three officials to the pedophilia case which he made in address to Parliament on Feb. 17.

The parliamentary pedophiia investigation commission completed its work April 13 and on that day Adamsons again named the above three officials, Latvijas Pasts postal company director general Aivars Droiskis and a headmaster of a Riga school as possibly linked to the pedophilia case.

The commission headed by Adamsons initially declined to give over its materials to the prosecutor's office doubting its impartiality.

After completion of its work the commission gave the materials over to Parliament's national security committee that early in May gave over copies of the documents to the Prosecutor General's Office.

The question of giving consent to launching criminal prosecution of Adamsons still will have to be decided by Parliament.