Court convicts former local government employees

TARTU - Tartu County Court today sentenced to prison Irina Aab, a former finance specialist for Tartu's department of education, for embezzlement, Estonian Public Broadcasting writes.

Aab will have to spend nearly six month in jail and was given an additional 3.5-year suspended sentence, Postimees reported.

Aab was found guilty of embezzling 160,000 euros between 2004 and 2011.

Former deputy mayor Juri Sasi resigned at the outbreak of the case, after authorities arrested Aab and Goldman in March 2011.

The fraud was perpetrated through the falsification of invoices; spa holidays were concealed as training expenses and gift vouchers were purchased and kept.

The court also convicted Aab's husband, Juri Karu, for abetting and document falsification. A former director of Tartu's Kivilinna Gymnasium, Ants Serik; a former director of the Tartu Commerce Gymnasium, Priit Hanni; and Tartu's former education director, Boris Goldman, were also convicted of abetting. All were handed suspended prison sentences.

Aab's attorney Tarmo Pilv said the woman will appeal the ruling.