Court Rejects Valagin's Representative's Request to Participate in Bunkus Murder Case

The Riga Regional Court today rejected a request from the representative of Klims Valagins, a relative of the late Genadijs Valagins, who was the alleged organizer of the murder of insolvency administrator Mārtiņš Bunkus, to participate in the criminal case. The representative sought to join the proceedings to achieve the rehabilitation of the deceased Genadijs Valagins, but after hearing the participants, the court dismissed the request. No charges were brought against Valagins in connection with organizing the murder because he died a violent death.

The court session was declared closed until a decision on the defense's challenge against a judge included in the panel and prosecutor Aldis Lasmanis. The next hearing is scheduled for August 26 at 10 a.m.

Earlier, the court had rejected the defendants' defense request to send the case back for retrial to the first instance. At the same time, the court granted the challenge filed by Ivet Vietniece, the defense lawyer of defendant Viktors Krivošejs, against prosecutor Rimantas Kuzma, citing a personal conflict between the two that occurred during the first instance trial, when Krivošejs spat on the prosecutor. For this action, Krivošejs was convicted of hooliganism, but the verdict was appealed.

In the first instance, the court found Krivošejs guilty of Bunkus's murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment, while Babenko and Uļmans were found guilty of ordering the murder and sentenced to 15 years in prison. All defendants were also placed under probation supervision for three years. The court also ordered the defendants to pay 171,462 euros in moral damages to the victims. It maintained a seizure on four of Uļmans' properties but lifted the seizure on 97 properties, 14 company shares, and nine vehicles. Babenko had 110,000 euros confiscated, and a seizure on three properties was maintained, while the seizure on 66 properties, one company's shares, and 25 vehicles was lifted.

Both the prosecution and the defendants appealed the first-instance verdict. The prosecutor requested life imprisonment for Krivošejs and 20 years each for Babenko and Uļmans, along with confiscation of property. Krivošejs is also suspected of using forged documents to secure an alibi, and police have initiated a separate criminal process.

Bunkus was shot dead on May 30, 2018, in Riga. The prosecution believes the motive was dislike for the administrator while he was performing his professional duties. The organizer of the murder was promised 100,000 euros, and the perpetrator 200,000 euros, of which more than 100,000 euros were not paid.