Šarūnas Narbutas, the president of the Lithuanian Cancer Patient Coalition (POLA), is suspected of influence peddling in an investigation into the government's purchase of coronavirus tests, the Special Investigation Service (STT) said on Tuesday.
Narbutas is currently under arrest, STT spokeswoman Renata Keblienė confirmed to BNS.
The anti-corruption agency is investigating the Lithuanian government's 5-million-euro procurement of reagents for coronavirus tests.
The STT said in a press release that it was conducting searches in various places in Vilnius on Tuesday. Documents were seized at the Ministry of Health.
Narbutas is suspected of acting as an informal intermediary between a foreign company and Lithuania's authorities that were scrambling to purchase the crucial components for coronavirus tests after the pandemic hit in March, according to the press release.
There is evidence that the suspect told the company's representative how much money he was to be paid for his mediation in the procurement.
The investigation has found that more than 300,000 euros ended up in Narbutas' personal bank account after the procurement procedure was completed.
POLA is a non-governmental umbrella group of several oncology-related organisations.
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