Latvia, Legislation

On Monday afternoon, the Prosecutor General's Office received new evidence for launch of a criminal procedure. In this criminal procedure, Misane is a suspect.

The criminal procedure has been launched based on Section 168 of the Criminal Law or failure to comply with the rulings on child custody rights, care rights and access rights. The applicable punishment is a temporary deprivation of liberty or community service, or a fine.

Also, the criminal procedure has been launched based on part two of Section 193 or stealing, destruction, damage or illegal utilization of financial instruments or means of payment of another person. The applicable punishment is the deprivation of liberty for a period of up to five years or temporary deprivation of liberty, or community service, or a fine, with or without the confiscation of property.

And the criminal procedure has been launched based on part two of Section 275 or committing forgery of a document conferring rights or a release from obligations, of a seal or a stamp, as well as using or selling a forged document, seal or stamp if if they have been committed for the purpose of acquiring property, or if these acts have been committed by a group of persons according to a prior agreement, or if substantial harm has been caused thereby to the State power or administrative order or to interests of a person protected by law. The applicable punishment is the deprivation of liberty for a period of up to four years or temporary deprivation of liberty, or community service, or a fine.

The Riga Vidzeme Dsitrict Court today imposed arrest as the security measure on Misane, which serves as the ground for the European arrest warrant.

Misane has been imprisoned in Denmark since late 2018, where she was detained because of abducting her own child in South Africa and allegedly other offenses. The Danish court last Friday ruled not to release her from custody, which means that she will be extradited to South Africa on February 20.

LETA also reported that Misane met a citizen of the South Africa in 2011 and they had a daughter four years later. However, conflicts began between the two parents, which were initially financially motivated. The man then unilaterally decided to end the relationship and began to abuse both Misane and two minors in the family.

Fearing for the safety and lives of herself and her children, in Misane returned to Latvia in May 2018. In December 2018, Misane went on a business trip through Copenhagen to Mozambique, but was detained while crossing the border because she was wanted by Interpol. South Africa had told Interpol that Misane was wanted for kidnapping a minor. Now the woman is facing a fifteen-year prison sentence in South Africa.