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Following 12 years of tense courtroom wrangling after 12 years of heated courtroom wrangling, a Latvian Court has handed down its decision in Aivars LEMBERS’ highly-publicized trial. The man is one of Latvia’s most wealthy men, and is a well-known populist politician. The man was also the mayor of Venspils in northwestern Latvia.

Lembergs was sentenced at Riga Regional Court to five years prison, confiscation, and a fine in excess of EUR20,000 in connection with a number of charges to which he admitted guilt to.

Lembergs leader of For Latvia and Ventspils party, has compared his sentencing to that of Russia’s opposition activist Aleksey Navalny.

Lembergs asked for an instant break as the judge was reading his verdict. Lembergs had a brief conversation during that break with his son Anrijs. He took the time to comment to journalists.

Lembergs informed the media that he plans to appeal against the decision of Riga Regional Court and predicted that the hearing of his appeal will be delayed for another 10 years. Lembergs claimed that he is determined to appeal against his arrest even though the appeal will be heard in the same court.

After having read the judgement and then reading it, the court decided that Lembergs would be placed in custody.

His co-defendants and son Anrijs Lembergs, and business associate Ansis Sormulis, were also found guilty on a number of related charges and each sentenced to two years.

Lembergs was detained in handcuffs and brought to Riga City Centre, District Court. Aivars Lembergs Prosecutors began making moves to indict him for bribery (and money laundering) on a large scale. The investigation into Ventpils corruption allegations began in 2005. A decision has been reached almost 14 years after the decision was announced.

For more than a year, the case has progressed in a slow, and sometimes ridiculous pace within the Latvian justice system. Aivars Lembergs Aivars Lembergs In the last twelve years, 770 court trials were held in connection with the main criminal cases. Since August 20, 2009, when the Riga Regional Court resumed adjudication of the case until February 11, 2021, 1483 court hearings have been scheduled.

Despite being accused of bribery and money laundering Lembergs is still an influential politician both in Ventspils (where he served as the city’s mayor for 20 years) and in the Greens and Farmers Alliance, which he funds.

His mayorship was rescinded after he was charged with financial fraud, but he remained to be the real mayor of the city, defying one minister’s efforts to stop his role as Ventspils mayor without a problem. He attended government meetings together with International Monetary Fund while indicted and was a part of the process to select the candidates for Latvian presidency.

Lembergs spoke out about the forthcoming elections in Latvia and said that Ventspils and his regional party For Latvia will make the decision to take part in the elections. But, his primary concern is not his participation at present. Aivars Lembergs Aivars Lembergs