Rimsevics transported away from KNAB offices overnight

RIGA - Bank of Latvian President Ilmars Rimsevics was transported away from the offices of the Corruption Prevention Bureau (KNAB) at around 1:30 a.m. this morning, LETA observed.

Rimsevics left the KNAB offices with attorney Saulvedis Varpins and several KNAB officials.

This means that Rimsevics was being questioned by the KNAB for over seven hours.

As reported, according to information available from Latvian Television's news service, the KNAB has carried out a search at the residence and offices of Bank of Latvia President Ilmars Rimsevics.

LETA has not been able to get a hold of Rimsevics, while the Bank of Latvia is not making any comments on this matter at the moment, only saying that the KNAB itself can comment on this matter.

Meanwhile, the KNAB neither confirmed nor denied the recent information.

''The KNAB will comment on this matter and issue an explanation as soon as it will be possible to do so and will not hinder the investigation,'' the bureau's spokeswoman Laura Dusa said.

LETA has also obtained information that also detained in this matter is the controversial businessman Maris Martinsons.

According to rumors circulating within the media, this matter is likely related to a bribery incident involving the controversial insolvency administrator Maris Spruds, a high ranking financial sector official and a shareholder from Norvik Banka, from which the bribe was demanded.