Appeals court upholds Celofano's sentence – police to search for him internationally
Following a decision by the Lithuanian appeals court in the criminal case of A. Kandrotas-Celofano, police are preparing to issue an international search warrant if it emerges that the man has left Lithuanian territory.
Appeals court upholds Celofano's sentence – police to search for him internationally
The Lithuanian appeals court has upheld the guilty verdict against Antanas Kandrotas, known as Celofano, for financial violations. The custodial sentence has been reduced to three and a half years. The decision came into force immediately, although an appeal to the cassation instance is still permitted.
Ramūnas Matonis, a spokesperson for the police department, explained that the law sets out a clear procedure: once officers receive a court order regarding an enforceable sentence, they must check whether the person is still in the country. If it emerges that Kandrotas has left, an international search will be initiated. "In theory, it could be announced as early as next week," he said. First, officials will need to travel to Kulatuva, where the man's registered place of residence is located, and question family members.
The case has been transferred to the Kaunas District Court for sentence enforcement, which issued the original ruling. Aurelija Narsutienė, the first-instance court's communications assistant, stated that the court must issue the verdict for enforcement.
Kandrotas himself told the media that he is in Minsk and has no intention of returning. He claimed to have been living there since May and is planning to conduct business activities. This statement contradicts the restraining measure that was previously imposed on him – a written undertaking not to leave Lithuania.
The convicted man faces an additional year of imprisonment if other criminal cases that have not yet become final conclude unfavourably for him. Last September, he was found guilty of rioting near the Seimas – sentenced to four years in prison. In March – guilty of inciting hatred against politician Tomas Vytautas Raskevičius, sentenced to one year in prison. A further case concerning an assault on public figure Valdas Bartkevičius was initiated in April.
Source: LRT