The Litvinenko Inquiry

The Litvinenko Inquiry
6.160 I heard oral evidence from Bruno Bonetti, the chauffeur who drove Mr Lugovoy to
and from Mr Patarkatsishvili’s house on 26 October 2006. Mr Bonetti described how
he collected Mr Lugovoy from Park Lane at about 10.30 that morning. He drove him
to Surrey, near Leatherhead. With some difficulty, they found Mr Patarkatsishvili’s
house. Mr Bonetti recalled that Mr Lugovoy sat in the rear near side seat of the car.
He said that they did not talk much on the journey – Mr Lugovoy spent most of the
time on the telephone, speaking a language that he had not understood. Mr Bonetti
thought that they had arrived at Mr Patarkatsishvili’s house at about noon. He waited
all afternoon and drove Mr Lugovoy back to the hotel at 6.00pm, arriving at about
7.30pm. He said that on the return journey, as on the way out, Mr Lugovoy sat on the
rear near side passenger seat. 145
6.161 Mr Bonetti’s car was subsequently tested for radiation and secondary contamination
was discovered. The highest readings were taken on the rear near side passenger
seat. 146
Meeting with Boris Berezovsky
6.162 In his statement in the Terluk case to which I have referred above, Mr Lugovoy stated
that whilst he was at Mr Patarkatsishvili’s house, he received a call from Mr Berezovsky,
who asked him to visit him in his London offices. Mr Lugovoy went on in his statement
to describe going to see Mr Berezovsky and a discussion between the two of them
about the provision of personal security in Moscow for a journalist named Elena
Tregubova. He also referred in the statement to Mr Glushkov, one of Mr Berezovsky’s
close associates, coming into the room during the meeting and discussing wine. 147
6.163 There is no doubt that this meeting did take place. Apart from Mr Lugovoy’s evidence,
I received evidence from a number of witnesses who described the meeting in similar
terms. This evidence included a statement given to the police by Mr Berezovsky before
his death, 148 and also oral evidence from Mr Glushkov, who remembered Mr Lugovoy
coming to Mr Berezovsky’s offices and the discussion about wine. 149
6.164 A witness statement given by Ms Tregubova was also read. 150 She was a Russian
journalist who was actively opposed to the Putin regime. In her statement she explained
that she had been afraid for her safety following the murder of Anna Politkovskaya,
and that she had asked Mr Berezovsky to assist with her personal security. She
said that she was aware at the time that Mr Berezovsky was intending to speak with
Mr Lugovoy about her security, and in fact she said that Mr Lugovoy had telephoned
her following the meeting.
6.165 Whilst it is clear that the meeting took place, there is a conflict in the evidence as to
precisely when it took place. As I have said, Mr Lugovoy said that it happened shortly
after his visit to Mr Patarkatsishvili on 26 October 2006 (it is not clear from Mr Lugovoy’s
Terluk statement whether his account is that the meeting took place on 26 October
following his return from Surrey, or on the following day). Other witnesses, including
Mr Berezovsky, Mr Glushkov and Ms Tregubova, have stated that the meeting took
145
Bonetti 12/30-45
146
Mascall 12/117-118
147
INQ001788 (page 22)
148
INQ016371
149
Glushkov 17/6-21
150
Tregubova 29/62-66
142