International manhunt on for bribery suspect Stabina

The authorities have issued international arrest warrant for former Riga City Council Housing and Environment Department head Arija Stabina, suspected of bribe taking.

Stabina's offences are investigated by the Corruption Prevention Bureau and the prosecutor's office. In order to accelerate the investigation, the case has been broken up into several criminal cases. So far, the prosecutor's office has charged Stabina on four counts, including bribe taking.

This past July yet, the Corruption Prevention Bureau and the prosecutor's office said that Stabina was still wanted in Latvia, but not internationally. Now the prosecutor's office press officer Una Reke told that European arrest warrant for Stabina was issued by the Prosecutor General's Office on July 22.

Taking into account that Stabina's whereabouts are unknown, the other European Union member states and other countries have been notified.

The authorities want Stabina extradited to Latvia once apprehended. However, the media reported previously that Stabina may be hiding in Egypt - with which Latvia has not yet signed agreement on extraditions.

As reported, this past June, the Riga Central District Court revised the security measure previously set for former Riga City Council Housing and Environment Department official Arija Stabina, suspected of bribe taking, and ordered her to be taken into custody.

Stabina was detained on suspicion of bribe taking in September 2012. She spent two months in custody and resigned after her release. On May 31, the Prosecutor General Office's Serious Crime Department prosecutor brought criminal charges against Stabina. A few days later, Stabina's children received a letter from their mother, informing about her intentions of leaving Latvia and never coming back.

leta.lv

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