Witness in Šiauliai corruption case testifies to family tragedy amid pressure and stress

A key witness in Lithuania’s high-profile Šiauliai corruption trial revealed in court Tuesday that his wife suffered a miscarriage amid the intense stress of the investigation, while he himself acquired a firearm due to fears for his safety, LRT.lt reports.

The witness, Tomas Petreikis, head of the municipal company Šiaulių Šviesa (formerly Šiaulių Gatvių Apšvietimas), testified as the primary prosecution witness in the case against Šiauliai Mayor Artūras Visockas and businessmen Danielis Krinickis and Rytis Maliukevičius. All three defendants deny charges of abuse of office and attempted large-scale fraud in a €1.78 million public tender for street lighting, which was halted by law enforcement.

Petreikis, who cooperated with investigators to gather evidence, described the psychological toll of the case on his family. “We felt extremely tense […] Even today, after every court session, my wife cries,” he told the court. He disclosed that his wife, unrelated to the tender, was drawn into the scandal in May 2023 when Mayor Visockas summoned her to a secluded meeting near Pageluvio Lake, instructing the couple to attend without phones. The meeting, secretly recorded by Petreikis at investigators’ request, included discussions about the LED lighting procurement and pretrial proceedings.

Petreikis admitted he purchased a firearm after the incident, citing his background as a volunteer soldier and heightened stress: “When you’re a volunteer soldier, you think about everything.” While he acknowledged no direct medical proof linking the miscarriage to the events, doctors suggested a possible connection without definitive conclusions.

Court proceedings on Tuesday included playback of four recordings capturing Petreikis’ conversations with public procurement committee member Giedrius Popovas, Mayor Visockas, and hired expert Maliukevičius. A March 2022 phone call between Petreikis and Popovas—recorded by authorities—revealed casual discussions about alcohol prices in Lithuania and Latvia, as well as references to a separate corruption operation in Kaunas where an official was detained for bribery. The conversation included remarks about “fools” who would “take the fall” while others “collect the cash.”

The case centers on allegations that the defendants manipulated the tender process for personal gain. Visockas faces additional charges of exerting undue influence on Petreikis. None of the accused have admitted guilt.