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Raimond Shtalberg.

Leniency of Latvian court system to two repeated offenders Raimond Shtalberg and Edgar Gulbis year after year has a chance to go down to history of European case-law. Strict Law turns blind eye on their crimes and criminals are still at liberty time after time.

Second accused person Edgar Gulbis was also found guilty by the court for theft of a car and further arson of Vladimir Vashkevich’s car, as well as for committing other crimes incriminated to him, and sentenced him to four years of deprivation of liberty. Edgar Gulbis also has withdrawn a court room without restriction.

Both claims for compensation of moral damage, run by Vladimir Vashkevich and Inara Vilkaste were totally rejected. According to words of lawyer of victims Ivars Pukitis, full text of sentence will be available on Friday, April 22.

“Loyalty to criminals, who were found guilty is very strange – lawyer Ivars Pukitis commented a court verdict. Especially taking into account when Raimond Shtalberg committed this crime in 2006, he still hasn’t served his sentence for previous crime. This court was aware of that Shtablerg in 2004 was sentenced for fraud, forgery etc. and sentenced to five years of deprivation of liberty with probation and three years of probation period”.

Court verdict looks strange also because of 700 thousand euros were arrested within the frames of other criminal proceedings – this is money, Shtalberg received because of threats and extortion. The question arises: for serving whose interest this money are being kept? Persons who really suffered from this crime and who has legal right on compensation of material and moral damage were excluded from the list of claimers first of all.