Thirteen Years Later and the Crime of Soldeu Remains Unresolved

www.elperiodic.ad DIMARTS, 10 DE JULIOL DEL 2018 el Periòdic d’Andorra 15 CONEIXEMENT SOBRE d'Andorra L’ÚS DE LES TECNOLOGIES elelENGLISHTema PeriòdicPeriòdic del EDITION dia NewsW E D 1xx 8 JUSTICE Thirteen years later and the crime of Soldeu remains unresolved The Superior dismisses the Prosecutor’s Office, The court considers that there is not enough confirms the acquittal of the alleged murderer evidence to condemn him to 30 years in prison TONY LARA EL PERIÒDIC ANDORRA LA VELLA @PeriodicAND he crime in Soldeu remains unresolved after the Crimi- nal and Superior Court (sala Tpenal del Tribunal Superior) dis- missed the appeal that had been fi- led by the Fiscal Ministry and confirmed the sentence of April 18 in which Corts absolved - for lack of evidence - The only accused of murdering a Rus- sian businessman in December 2004 at a hotel in Soldeu. The alleged perpetrator, a man of Israeli nationality but of Ukrainian origin who was detained at the same day of the events and then was in cus- tody for a whole year, did not appear in the trial held in the Superior in Ju- ne nor before the court of first instance which had taken place at the end of last year. The defense lawyer explai- ned that his client had no money to travel to Andorra and that he suffe- red from a disease. The Prosecutor’s Two police officers enter the building of the Headquarters of Justice in Tarragona Avenue, Andorra la Vella. Office had demanded the maximum 33 penalty for a major crime of murder: trial of the Superior, the lawyer alle- up to 30 years in prison, considering The defense clings ged that they were faced with an «ap- key facts that the crime had been carried out on to the confession parently brilliant» operation becau- with premeditation, treason and a se the supposed author was arrested December 2004: a December 2017: the video of the russian reward. The events happened more only six hours after the crime but that cold night in Soldeu arrival of the trial than thirteen years ago, on Decem- mafia claiming they were it was actually «an error». They had 1 2 ber 16, 2004, when a 48-year-old Rus- responsable of the acts convicted his client «without inves- On the night of December 16 and 17of Almost thirteen years after the crime, sian tourist who was in the Principa- tigating anything else.» According to 2004, the alleged murderer entered the the Court of Corts celebrated the tri- lity with his lover was surprised at the the defense lawyer, the alleged crimi- room at the hotel in Soldeu where a Rus- al in which the alleged criminal was ac- hotel room in Soldeu where he stayed lity hired as a hitman by the Russian nal was in the Principality because he sian businessman was staying at and the cused of murder. However, neither the at.When a stranger with a balaclava Mafia to commit the crime. In additi- had been hired as security personnel man stabbed him twice once in his chest alleged author nor a sixth of the witnes- attacked him andstabbed him in the on, he recalled that the knife used as in a Russian congress. and another to the abdomen, which ki- ses were considered to be key factors chest and abdomen. The police, after a weapon had been bought in local ar- In addition, when his client was lled him within minutes. in the case. finding a bag with clothes and the we- mory, as declared by the salesperson in preventive detention, a video of apon from the crime in a drum very who sold it. Even so, it could never be the Russian mafia emerged and was close to the hotel, found the alleged confirmed that the DNA that was present to the Andorran authorities in April 2018: July 2018: Tribunal criminal in the same establishment. sent in the scraper used to force the October 2005 claiming that they we- 3e xculpation 4Superior door open coincided with that of the re responsible of the murder. Howe- PROOF During the hearing of the Su- killer because it did not allow the test ver, according to the police, the Guàr- The court of first instance issued the ru- Although the Prosecutor’s Office ap- perior,/ the Prosecutor’s Office poin- to be practiced. The public prosecutor dia Civil, the video had the intention ling on April 18 and decided to absolve pealed the ruling of Corts and during ted out that there were «sufficient evi- also reiterated that the forensics as- of manipulating the case and that is the defendant in considering that the- the trial held at the Superior reiterated dence» to deny the presumption of in- serted that the wounds of the victim why the Prosecutor’s Office did not re was insufficient evidence to declare in the arguments that indicated the cul- nocence that had prevailed by Corts were expressly made to kill. On the ot- give them any credibility. Even so, the to release the Israeli’s responsibiliti- her hand, the defense lawyer claimed defense lawyer used it to claim that him guilty and to condemn him to thirty pability of the accused, the court dis- es. The Fiscal Ministry believes that that the evidence demonstrated that there was a confessed author and mo- years of jail time as demanded by the missed his appeal and confirmed the the accused had come to the Principa- his client was innocent. During the re research had to be done.. Fiscal Ministry. acquittal of the alleged killer. H 2 www.elperiodic.ad WEDNESDAY, 18 JULY 2018 el Periòdic News POLITICS titutional subject, the ambassador highlighted the visit of the King. The Alliance: Andorra and Spain King of Spain, thanked Martí for the- ir confidence and power of the de- cision in the vote in favor of Andor- ra to host the Ibero-American Sum- mit in 2020. Although Martí will no celebrate 25 years of relations longer be the head of the Executive MARICEL BLANCH , he wanted to point out that it will Spanish support in be an event of utmost importance in which «the voice of Andorra will feel bilateral, European and strong in a continent that has many Ibero-American relations opportunities.» Regarding the gre- EL PERIÒDIC ANDORRA LA VELLA Ubach will present @PeriodicAND the voluntary report in esterday, the governments of Andorra and Spain ha- relation to the fulfillment ve published a joint state- of the SDGs of the UN Yment on the occasion of for the year 2030 the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between both countries. In the statement, the States at weight of the Spanish economy emphasize the traditional unders- in the country, Martí described it as tanding and close cooperation in «positive» but wished that the eco- various fields, such as health, en- nomic openness brings more sove- vironment, security or transport. reignty. The joint declaration also highlig- hts, in particular, the intensifica- UBACH AND BORRELL IN NEW YORK On The Spanish ambassador and the head of government, in the lobby of the General Council. tion of the solid cooperation main- the occasion of the High Level Forum/ 33 tained so far in the international on Development that will take place arena, as shown by Spain’s support sample of the Andorran euro coins. THE SPANISH SUPPORT Montobbio wan- has done: «The transformations are tomorrow in New York, Foreign Mi- for the development of the relati- The lobby of the General Council ted to highlight the/ evolution of An- from Andorra, but we have a special nister Maria Ubach will meet with ons between Andorra and the EU has hosted another inauguration dorra in recent years, especially in responsibility as resident ambassa- the new Foreign Minister of the Spa- and the continuing presence of the with the exhibition of the 25 years the international economic appro- dors» he said. In the future, Montob- nish government, Josep Borrell. The Principality in the Ibero-American of stamps from the Spanish Courier val and its process of fiscal opening bio raised new challenges beyond aim of the meeting is to continue space . All this is part of the series in Andorra, which was attended by towards transparency. According the triple relations and emphasized promoting the good relations betwe- of celebrations that began on the the general vice-general, Vicenç Ma- to the ambassador, the association the development of relations between the two countries, although for 4th of June with a commemorati- teu, the head of Government, Toni agreement in the EU will be «an his- en both States and from each soci- Martí the most transcendental issu- ve event organized by the embassy Martí and the ambassador of Spain, torical point of reference». He emp- ety in it’s full potential, since «An- es are the GPS of the Andorra-La Seu of Andorra in Madrid, at the Natio- Manuel Montobbio, among other hasized the role of «understanding, dorra is not known equally in all the Airport or better coordination with nal Factory of Currency, to open a diplomatic authorities. explanation and support» that Spain Spanish territory». As a pending ins- the Spanish educational system. H HOUSING PS The PS thinks that it is necessary to put a stop to increase in rents The group presents an less» and to «want to play with peo- empty floors that are for sale or ad- ple’s suffering. vertised in a real estate are exempt amendment against the Among the measures proposed by from paying the new tax.

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