Lithuanian court overturns acquittal in businessman assault case

Lithuania’s Court of Appeal has overturned an acquittal in the case of a Klaipėda resident accused of orchestrating a severe assault on a businessman, sentencing him to three years in prison, the Prosecutor General’s Office announced Friday.

The defendant, an unemployed Klaipėda resident, was found guilty of acting as part of an organised group and causing grievous bodily harm for personal gain. Investigators established that the accused sought to recover at least €300,000 in debt from the victim, a businessman embroiled in separate civil litigation over large sums of money with another entrepreneur.

Prosecutors determined the defendant devised a plan to severely injure the debtor in retaliation for unpaid funds, aiming both to shift suspicion onto the victim—who had legal disputes that could motivate retaliation—and to pressure him into repayment through fear for his safety. The attack was carried out with the help of two accomplices, including a Russian citizen hired to assault the businessman.

The organised group gathered intelligence on the victim’s residence and movements, prepared tools for the crime, and coordinated the assault, which was financed by the defendant. Two other individuals involved remain under separate pretrial investigation.

According to case materials, the victim was ambushed in July 2015 at a golf course in Klaipėda District, where attackers used an unidentified firearm, a baseball bat, and a blunt object. He sustained 40–50 blows across his body, resulting in multiple injuries classified as grievous bodily harm.

The Klaipėda Regional Court had initially acquitted the defendant, ruling no criminal offence had occurred. However, the Prosecutor’s Office appealed, arguing the acquittal was unjustified. The Court of Appeal upheld the prosecution’s challenge, citing sufficient evidence of guilt, and additionally ordered the defendant to pay €1,100 in material damages to the Klaipėda Territorial Health Insurance Fund.

The ruling enters into force immediately but may be further appealed to Lithuania’s Supreme Court.