The Kurzeme District Court upheld the guilty verdict against former President of the Bank of Latvia Ilmars Rimsevics in the case of acquiring a fake Covid certificate. The first instance court had previously sentenced him to 350 hours of community service.
The Kurzeme District Court rejected the appeal of former President of the Bank of Latvia Ilmars Rimsevics and upheld the decision of the first instance court in the case of acquiring a fake Covid-19 vaccination certificate.
According to the court's decision, Rimsevics was found guilty and sentenced to 350 hours of community service. The full text of the decision will be published on July 1. After that, the parties will have ten days to appeal.
According to the prosecution, Rimsevics transferred 400 euros through an intermediary to a person authorized to conduct state-paid vaccinations and issue the relevant documents. The aim was to obtain a Covid certificate without actually undergoing vaccination.
The investigation believes that false information about the vaccination was then entered into the e-veselība system, which allowed for the issuance of a digital certificate. According to the prosecution, the former head of the Bank of Latvia was aware that the document was fake but used it during the period of restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rimsevics himself does not admit guilt and continues to insist that he was indeed vaccinated. The defense claims that this version is supported by test results showing the presence of antibodies both after recovering from Covid-19 and after vaccination.
Rimsevics's case is part of a larger investigation into the trade of fake Covid certificates, but materials related to the former central bank head have been separated into a separate proceeding.
Earlier, the De facto program reported that the main criminal case involved a medical worker, a teacher known for his Covid-skeptical views, and a deceased head of the civil registry department.
This case has become one of the most high-profile processes related to the use of fake Covid certificates in Latvia, partly due to the high status of the accused.
While the verdict has not yet become final, the parties still have the opportunity to appeal to the next court instance.
Leave a comment