Bulgaria Top Criminal Attempts to Go Free over Prosecutor Failure

Petar Mihailov, the medical expert, who testified Monday alleged top criminal Baretata must undergo urgent surgery, enters the courtroom. Photo by BGNES

The Sofia City Court postponed Monday their rule on releasing alleged top crime boss Zlatomir Ivanov aka Baretata (The Barret).

Baretata is linked to organized crime, two murders for hire and three attempted murders. His defense council requested his release due to his ailing health and the need for Baretata to undergo urgent surgery, according to the presented medical expertise.

The magistrates, however, delayed their decision over the request of Ivanov's lawyer, Lachezar Takov, that the testimony of Tihomir Georgiev aka Boksiora (The Boxer) is entered in the official documentation of Baretata's trial.

The said testimony was given during the trial of another alleged top criminal boss – Krasimir Marinov aka the Big Marguin. On Sunday the court deemed the Boxer's witness account unreliable, which became the main motive for the Big Marguin's release from jail. The magistrates ruled that the Boxer had used the prosecution in cynical way and for his own criminal profiteering.

The Boxer is also a prime witness of the prosecution in the Baretata case. Zlatomir Ivanov's defense council, reportedly, will attempt to prove that the Boxer, who can be an unreliable witness in one case, is also unreliable in his testimony against their client.

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