Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has sent to the Prosecutor General Office materials of the criminal process suggesting charging for taking bribes in relation to procurement two officials of the Central Board of the State Border Guard of Latvia. In addition, it is suggested to start prosecution against four other persons: one for giving bribe and three for support in bribery.
The criminal process was started on 25 September 2006. The evidence collected gives sufficient ground to believe that the head of the Supply Service in his capacity of public official and head of procurement commission used his official position and in cooperation with another official, namely an Inspector of the Supply Service, undertook premeditated actions that were related to asking and taking bribes from entrepreneurs from October 2003 - September 2006.
Information gathered by KNAB suggests that bribes were asked with the aim to allow the enterprises wining the procurement tender to continue cooperating with the Central Board of the State Border Guard in providing services, for instance, provision of goods or servicing the cars, and potentially conclude new contracts.
In the course of the pre-trial investigation, it was discovered that enterprises had to pay a bribe in the amount of 10 per cent of the total amount of the contract concluded with the Central Board of the State Border Guard. It is estimated that overall officials of the Central Board of the State Border Guard received in bribes more than 3 800 lats (about 5 406 euros).
Considering that there is enough evidence, the investigator of KNAB handled the materials of the case over to the Prosecutor General Office suggesting the following charges: against two public officials for accepting bribes (Article 320 (3) of the Criminal Law), against one private person for support the taking of bribes (Article 320 (2) and Article 20(4)), against one entrepreneur for giving bribes (Article 323 (2)) and two private persons for support in giving bribes (323 (2) and Article 20 (4)).