Having reviewed the application of the judge Helmuts Brasovs of the Kurzemes Regional Court to refer the criminal case in the charges against Aivars Lembergs, Ansis Sormulis and Anrijs Lembergs to another court, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Ivars Bickovics today, September 2, decided to refer the criminal case to the Riga Regional Court. The decision is final.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court passed the decision to refer the case to the Riga Regional Court taking into account the general regulations of jurisdiction of criminal cases stipulated in the Criminal Procedure Law, as well as finding it necessary and possible thus to advance the hearings of the particular criminal case.

Previously, the case was sent to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to determine the jurisdiction by the specialized prosecutor’s office of organized crime and other branches. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court returned the case to the prosecutor’s office with the indication that it had not followed the procedure of advancement of cases stipulated in the Criminal Procedure Law. Afterwards, the prosecutor’s office referred the case to the Riga Regional Court, which found that the case is not within its jurisdiction, and sent it to the Kurzemes Regional Court. In his turn, the judge H. Brasovs of the Kurzemes Regional Court considering that it is possible that the case may be heard sooner in the Riga Regional Court, in accordance with Article 445 of the Criminal Procedure Law, sent the case to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to determine the jurisdiction.

 

Information prepared by

Head of the Division of Communications of the Supreme Court Rasma Zvejniece

E-mail: rasma.zvejniece@at.gov.lv, telephone: 7020396, 28652211