Kiil and Kaljurand exit prison to be electronically eyed

Photo: Jaanus Lensment / Toomas Huik / Postimees

Yesterday, Harju County Court agreed to release former Port of Tallinn board members Ain Kaljurand Allan Kiil from custody, replacing it with electronic surveillance.  

Before Christmas, lawyers to Allan Kiil and Ain Kaljurand suspected in corruption applied to Harju County Court for custody to be replaced with electronic surveillance. At court session yesterday, the state prosecutor in charge Laura Feldmanis agreed to the change.

«In August last year, Mr Kaljurand and Mr Kiil were taken under custody, as requested by prosecutor’s office, to prevent them from crimes against administration of justice i.e. affecting numbers of witnesses. As during these past four months the Security Police has already completed a large amount of procedures, as a prosecutor I now agree to change the preventive measure. Meanwhile, replacement of custody with electronic surveillance still means that the freedom of movement will be significantly limited for the persons under suspicion,» said state prosecutor Ms Feldmanis.

The electronic surveillance spells wearing an ankle bracelet. While present in the courthouse, Mr Kiil and Mr Kaljurand did everything to escape getting photographed or interviewed. The journalists were asked to wait in the lobby while the suspects were taken away covertly.

Defending Allan Kiil, sword lawyer Aivar Pilv said the main reason for the change was that the suspects were no longer able to affect the investigation. The timing of the release from custody would be up to probation supervisor doing his job, said Mr Pilv, referring to electronic surveillance devices to be installed in the homes of the suspects.

Conditions for electronic surveillance such as permission to leave home will be determined by the probation supervisor. In practice, said Mr Pilv, this will happen as coordinated by the investigators and prosecutor. In any case, the suspects will be entitled to meeting with lawyers. The ankle bracelet will be placed by probation supervisor.

Neither man is yet to plead guilty. As requested by the prosecutor’s office, close to €9,000 of cash found in the home of Mr Kiil and €323,000 found as belonging to Mr Kaljurand at various searches were arrested. The assets were arrested to be possibly confiscated should the men be found guilty.

The suspicion says Port of Tallinn former board member Allan Kiil accepted bribes amounting to millions of euros, and former CEO of said port Ain Kaljurand in hundreds of thousands of euros.

As assured by the prosecutor’s office, the evidence thus far suggests the corruptive dealings may date back to 2009.

Central to the suspicion, say the prosecutors, are the ferryboat procurement. Also, investigations have led to suspicions regarding the ordering of vessels from Poland.