A suspect in an inquiry into the death of the former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko has failed to appear to give his testimony.
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British authorities say there is evidence to prove Dmitry Kovtun, along with fellow Russian Andrei Lugovoy, poisoned Kremlin critic Litvinenko with green tea laced with polonium-210 at the Millennium Hotel in central London.
After hearing from Robin Tam QC, counsel to the inquiry, that Kovtun was still not in a position to appear, Sir Robert said: “The factors you have outlined, in particular the timing of the events regarding giving evidence and the content of the very, very recent communications, give rise to the gravest suspicion that an attempt is being made to manipulate the situation”.
Robert Owen, the senior British judge in charge of the inquiry, which opened in January, gave Kovtun until 9 a.m. Tuesday to resolve purported legal obstacles in Russian Federation.
Today it was finally confirmed that Mr Kovtun would not give evidence after he withdrew at the 11th hour. Litvinenko fled to Britain in 2000, seeking asylum, and he had secured British citizenship weeks before he died in November 2006.
Mr Kovtun and Mr Lugovoi both deny any involvement in the death.
Three days were set aside for his evidence but it emerged last week that he fears he may be committing an offence under Russian law if he gives evidence. He has previously warned Kovtun not to try to delay the inquiry. Kovtun initially also declined, but signaled that he would cooperate in March.
On Friday, Richard Horwell QC, for the Metropolitan Police, said: “None of this comes as any surprise”.
He has been accused of only offering to take part in the proceedings so he could get access to all the documents that form part of the judge-led inquiry.
In a statement to police in 2006 Walter Litvinenko told how his son was struggling to speak when he visited him in hospital but accused Russian president Vladimir Putin over his death – a claim the Kremlin has always denied.
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He said Kovtun’s actions cast doubt on “the credibility of anything else he says” and he criticised the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) for failing to raise problems about Kovtun giving evidence at an earlier stage.
