Court sets 14 million bail for Rath

A Prague district court has set bail for former Central Bohemian governor and MP David Rath (arrested in May on corruption charges) at 14 million crowns (the equivalent of almost 700,000 US dollars). The spokesman for the court Jiří Wažik stressed that the court on Monday decided only on the amount – not whether Mr Rath would indeed be freed from prison, where he has been under stricter confinement awaiting trial for fear he might try and influence witnesses. The court, the spokesman made clear, would take its decision in September if the bail amount was met. The former regional governor, David Rath, was arrested in May of this year – caught with a suspected bribe of seven million crowns on his person. On Monday, the MP’s wife Eva, his father Ratmír as well as Mr Rath himself were present in the courtroom as the bail was set.

Author: Jan Velinger