Eerik Heldna, Elmar Vaher and Aivar Alavere all stand charged with fraud or of aiding and abetting fraud, in relation to pension rights and their interface with a job rotation scheme, which first came to light almost exactly a year ago.

The preliminary hearing took place on Wednesday (see gallery) at the first-tier Harju County Court, when the substantive hearing date was set for June 25, ie. the day after Jaanipäev, a signal day in the Estonian calendar, and a public holiday.

Heldna stands charged with fraud and incitement to commting forgery in an official capacity, former Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) chief Elmar Vaher is charged with aiding and abetting these acts while acting as an official, while Alavere is charged with the same acts as Vaher.

The prosecution announced in mid-January that: "The charges are that Eerik Heldna, with the assistance of Elmar Vaher and Aivar Alavere, created false representation to the Social Insurance Board (SKA) to the effect that, as of May 5, 2022, he had completed a 25-year police service tenure, and on this basis SKA started paying him a pension for those years of service and in accordance with the law."

According to the charge sheet, in February 2019, Heldna agreed with Vaher to become officially a PPA employees, but on the same day be reassigned himself back to his original position at the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) Intelligence Center,

Heldna was already working there and so, it is alleged, his employment there was never interrupted.

Vaher and Alavere allegedly agreed to create a position especially for him, in the secret witness protection unit of the Central Criminal Police.

On that very same day, directions were given ostensibly to appoint Heldna to the PPA service and rotate him back to his previous position. According to the charges, Heldna, Vaher, and Alavere were fully aware that Heldna did not intend to disburse any PPA service duties, while the apparent employment was agreed upon to enable Heldna, working in another institution, to qualify for future PPA pension payments.

By submitting to SKA documents that allegedly reflected the created tenure and with the intention of securing pension rights, Heldna, with the aid of Vaher and Alavere, committed an act of fraud, the prosecution alleges.

If convicted, Heldna could face a fine or up to four years' prison time, while Vaher and Alavere could face one to five years of imprisonment if convicted, given they are charged with committing the acts while in an officials capacity.

All three men have declined to plead guilty (which is the option under Estonian law instead of concretely pleading not guilty).

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