Savisaar to be prosecuted in a couple of months

In addition to suspicions stated earlier, prosecutor's office suspects Centre chairman Edgar Savisaar has also accepted banned donations and done large-scale money laundering. As next step, the prosecutor's office is compiling statement of charges. 

Chief state prosecutor Steven-Hristo Evestus said yesterday that are on the finishing line with pre-trial proceedings regarding Mr Savisaar.

«In near future, security police is forwarding materials of the criminal case to prosecutor’s office. Thereafter, the prosecutor’s office will prepare for sharing the materials with defence lawyers who will be able to familiarise themselves with all materials collected during the criminal proceeding, present their views and applications, after which the prosecutor’s office will compile the statement of charges,» said Mr Evestus.

To the knowledge of Postimees, completing statements of charges and bringing charges against Mr Savisaar is a matter of a couple of months. After that, the case goes to court.

Additionally, Office of the Prosecutor General brought suspicion against Mr Savisaar in acceptance of forbidden donation for the party.

Also, Mr Savisaar was presented a suspicion in large-scale money laundering. According to the suspicion, Mr Savisaar hid almost €192,000 in a Swiss bank, using nearly €174,000 of that to hide illegal origin of the assets and actual owner. Investigation into the money laundering was initiated in 2011, and it was now added to the bribe-related criminal case.

To the knowledge of Postimees, this is likely to be the last suspicion brought against Mr Savisaar.

According to lawyer Oliver Nääs defending Mr Savisaar, there is nothing new in the suspicions brought on Tuesday.

«The money laundering suspicion is the same that security police has been investigating since 2011. With the banned donation, these are the same facts which they mentioned in the fall in the episode linked to Hillar Teder; now, they have just specified the qualification,» Mr Nääs said via Centre Party press secretary.

***

Savisaar and money

• Business money. The repeated bribery suspicions concern four episodes related to rental contract extended, building without permit, lots swap, and a procurement.
• Swiss money. This is the €192,000 allegedly hid in a Swiss bank.
• Tallinn money. According to administrative court decision Mr Savisaar is obligated to the city return nearly €113,000 of money spent for election ads. In February, Tallinn circuit court left the ruling unaltered. Savisaar has said he will contest the ruling.
• Russian money. In 2010, security police published a document earlier classified according to which president of Russian Railways Vladimir Jakunin promised Mr Savisaar and Tallinn deputy mayor Deniss Boroditš that Centre will receive €1.5m for general elections. Among others, Mr Boroditš was to be responsible for forwarding and legalising the money. Criminal proceeding was not initiated as security police had obstructed the giving of the money.