Former Aegis manager Ruzicka remains in custody
Former Aegis manager Aleksander Ruzicka must remain in custody, the Frankfurt am Main Higher Regional Court confirmed on Wednesday. Ruzicka has been in prison since October 2006. He is accused of not passing on discounts in kind for advertising time to his agency, but instead silver-plating them and lining his own pockets.
Former Aegis manager Aleksander Ruzicka must remain in custody, the Frankfurt am Main Higher Regional Court confirmed on Wednesday. Ruzicka has been in prison since October 2006. He is accused of not passing on discounts in kind for advertising time to his agency, but instead silver-plating them and lining his own pockets. As the spokesperson for the Frankfurt am Main Higher Regional Court (OLG) explained when asked by Medianet, the chamber, consisting of three judges, had no reason to question its own decision from June 2007. It still assumes that there is an urgent suspicion of a crime and a risk of flight. The fact that there were still no charges admitted against Ruzicka at the Wiesbaden Regional Court had no effect on the decision. According to the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court, this circumstance, as well as the fact that Ruzicka has been in pre-trial detention for more than a year, is not sufficient to suspend the arrest warrant. The continuation of the pre-trial detention is justified according to §121 para. 1 StPO. According to this provision, pre-trial detention can be continued beyond 6 months if the particular difficulty or the particular scope of the investigation or another important reason does not yet permit the judgment. In the opinion of the Frankfurt am Main Higher Regional Court, the public prosecutor's office would have brought charges in good time. If the indictment is admitted, a trial could be scheduled in a timely manner.
Lawyer finds arrest grotesqueThe accused was served with the decision on Tuesday in Weiterstadt prison near Frankfurt. The decision on his continued detention had been available to the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court since mid-September. Reasons for detention must be reviewed every three months in Germany. When asked by Medianet, Ruzicka's lawyer Marcus Traut said that he had expected this decision. He has not issued a new statement. For him, there is no urgent suspicion in the absence of a crime. In addition, his client had already voluntarily surrendered his passport before his arrest more than a year ago. Therefore, in his opinion, there is still no risk of absconding.
In view of the fact that Ruzicka had every opportunity to evade the proceedings for six weeks between the house searches and his arrest, Traut described the reason for his client's arrest as grotesque. The three other defendants remain at large, some despite not having German citizenship. They must continue to report to the police on a weekly basis. Aleksander Ruzicka's next trial will take place in mid-December.
According to its own information, the 6th Criminal Chamber of the Wiesbaden Regional Court wanted to decide by the end of October whether to admit the indictment, which it has had before it since July. This decision has now been postponed until mid-November. The reason: the defendant Heinrich Kernebeck has changed his defense lawyer. He has asked for an extension of the deadline for a statement. Even if the indictment is very likely to be admitted, the main trial is not expected to begin before January or February 2008.
Lawyer finds arrest grotesqueThe accused was served with the decision on Tuesday in Weiterstadt prison near Frankfurt. The decision on his continued detention had been available to the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court since mid-September. Reasons for detention must be reviewed every three months in Germany. When asked by Medianet, Ruzicka's lawyer Marcus Traut said that he had expected this decision. He has not issued a new statement. For him, there is no urgent suspicion in the absence of a crime. In addition, his client had already voluntarily surrendered his passport before his arrest more than a year ago. Therefore, in his opinion, there is still no risk of absconding.
In view of the fact that Ruzicka had every opportunity to evade the proceedings for six weeks between the house searches and his arrest, Traut described the reason for his client's arrest as grotesque. The three other defendants remain at large, some despite not having German citizenship. They must continue to report to the police on a weekly basis. Aleksander Ruzicka's next trial will take place in mid-December.
According to its own information, the 6th Criminal Chamber of the Wiesbaden Regional Court wanted to decide by the end of October whether to admit the indictment, which it has had before it since July. This decision has now been postponed until mid-November. The reason: the defendant Heinrich Kernebeck has changed his defense lawyer. He has asked for an extension of the deadline for a statement. Even if the indictment is very likely to be admitted, the main trial is not expected to begin before January or February 2008.
