Three defendants are not ready to testify in Zolitude tragedy case

Three of the five defendants in the Zolitude tragedy criminal case were not ready to testify when the court began hearing their statements on Wednesday, LSM reported. They will be asked to testify next week.

The defendants had been given several months to prepare, after being asked to do so on June 17. The court is expected to hear their statements before moving to closing arguments, bringing the proceedings closer to a conclusion.

The court also considered whether to remove one of the judges, Aija Reitupe, from the case. She had previously taken part in an administrative case concerning the cancellation of construction expert Andris Gulbis’s certificate. Two defendants, including Gulbis, and their lawyers sought her recusal. A lawyer for Ivars Sergets also filed a challenge.

Gulbis’s lawyer, Dmitrijs Skačkovs, argued that the judge’s earlier opinion could affect her decision in the criminal case. Sergets’s lawyer, Artūrs Zvejsalnieks, said the court had already assessed the same factual circumstances in another proceeding. The court will continue hearing the case with its current panel.