Former Police Official Accused of Disclosing State Secrets
The Prosecutor's Office has brought additional charges against a former senior police official for disclosure of classified foreign intelligence.
Jarek Pavlihhin, the former head of the South Prefecture's anti-narcotics unit, was found guilty in February for embezzlement, disclosing state secrets and falsification. Pavlihhin appealed that Tartu County Court ruling to Tartu District Court and a new ruling is expected on Friday.
It has now surfaced that another criminal investigation was initiated last January, charges were brought in April and a preliminary trial is set for June 3, Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Carol Merzin told uudised.err.ee.
The details of the indictment, however, are classified and the court proceedings were closed to the public.
In the initial case, Pavlihhin was charged with embezzling 15,000 euros between 2006 and 2011 and document forgery. According to uudised.err.ee, the missing money was meant to be paid out to a police informant, but never was. In February, Pavlihhin was sentenced to two years and six months in prison.
Tartu County Court handed Pavlihhin a 2.5-year conditional sentence, which was reduced by the eight months he spent in preliminary detention from April to December last year. The ex-official was also fined 15,300 euros in addition to 1,300 euros in legal fees.
Pavlihhin had worked in the police for 13 years and has been awarded with the title of best criminal investigator in Tartu County.