Prosecution sought for ex-head of Latvian Railway for large-scale graft

The Latvian anti-corruption watchdog is seeking criminal prosecution against Ugis Magonis, the former CEO of Latvijas Dzelzcels (Latvian Railway), for large-scale graft, local media reported on Tuesday.

The Corruption Prevention Bureau has sent materials of the case to the Prosecutor General's Office, asking to prosecute Magonis for taking a bribe worth roughly 500,000 euros (551,812 U.S.dollars).

According to information provided by the bureau, Magonis received the bribe in relation to a multi-million-euro deal of LDz Ritosa Sastava Serviss, the Latvian rail company's subsidiary in charge of rolling stock.

Magonis faces criminal prosecution for accepting a large bribe, and another individual who has also been probed in connection with the case is also likely to be prosecuted for bribing a state official.

According to media reports, Estonian businessman Oleg Ossinovski allegedly gave the bribe so that his company Skinest could sell four old diesel locomotives to LDz Ritosa Sastava Serviss for several million euros.

Ossinovski, who features as a suspect in the probing, has claimed to Estonian media that the diesel locomotive tender was held in accordance with rules and that he had never made any illegal payments to anyone in relation with it. 
Source:XINHUA