Supreme Court Overturns Acquittal in Second Digital TV Case; Šlesers and Šķēle to Face Trial Again

The Supreme Court of Latvia (AT) has annulled the acquittal verdict handed down by the Rīga Regional Court in the so-called second digital television criminal case. This decision means the case will be retried in the regional court, as Supreme Court senator Irīna Jansone announced to journalists on Friday.

The AT initiated cassation proceedings after the prosecutor's office filed a protest against the regional court's ruling, which had acquitted all defendants. The prosecution argued that the regional court had breached several legal provisions when reaching its verdict. According to the prosecution, the court incorrectly dismissed much of the evidence presented by the prosecution, relied uncritically on the defendants' testimonies, and failed to evaluate evidence collectively.

The prosecution particularly emphasized that the court misinterpreted the Criminal Law articles on fraud and abuse of office. In their view, the court erroneously concluded that the defendants had not engaged in illegal activities to involve the company "Hannu Digital" in the digital television project, thereby unlawfully obtaining funds from SIA "Tet" (formerly "Lattelecom").

The defendants in this case include Ainārs Šlesers (a Rīga City Council deputy and former transport minister), ex-Prime Minister Andris Šķēle, former "Tet" board chairman Juris Gulbis, former Ministry of Transport state secretary Nils Freivalds, former LVRTC head Lauris Dripe, along with several other individuals from "Hannu Digital" and "Tet".

The charges relate to a tender organized by the Ministry of Transport in 2008 for the implementation of terrestrial digital television. The prosecution alleges that the defendants managed to unjustifiably involve "Hannu Digital" in the project, resulting in the company receiving several million euros from "Tet", thereby inflating the costs of this nationwide project. The total amount allegedly obtained through criminal means is estimated at approximately three million euros.

The events in question took place in 2008 and 2009. Previously, the Economic Affairs Court had also acquitted all defendants, but the prosecution appealed that decision. Now the regional court must re-examine the case anew.