Moscow City Court sentences ex-Investigative Committee officer Maksimenko to 13 years in penal colony, 165 mln rubles fine for bribery
MOSCOW. April 20 (Interfax) - The Moscow City Court sentenced former head of the Investigative Committee's internal security department Mikhail Maksimenko to 13 years in a high-security penal colony for bribery on Friday, an Interfax correspondent reported.
"Maksimenko is found guilty of two crimes under Part 6 of Article 290 of the Russian Criminal Code (taking a large-scale bribe by an official). He is sentenced to 13 years in a high-security penal colony and a fine in the amount of 165 million rubles," Judge Oleg Muzychenko said.
The court has also deprived Maksimenko of his special rank of justice colonel and banned him from working in public agencies for three years.
The court only read the introduction of the ruling and the sentence, as part of the trial was held in camera.
Maksimenko was found guilty of receiving $500,000 from businessman Oleg Sheikhametov and $50,000 from businessman Badri Shengelia.
The court and the investigators found that Maksimenko received the money from Sheikhametov for assistance with the release from detention and the softening of the charge against Andrei Kochuikov (the Italian), an associate of crime boss Zakhariy Kalashov (Shakro the Young), who was detained after a shootout near the restaurant Elements on Moscow's Rodchelskaya Street in December 2015.
The officer received $50,000 from Shengelia for arranging a service inspection and opening a case against police officers who had conducted operative actions against the businessman and illegally seized his watch.
During the presentation of arguments, the prosecutor asked for a sentence of 15 years in a high-security penal colony and a 165-million-ruble fine. State prosecutors believe the defendant's guilt was fully proven during the trial.
The defense lawyers insist on their client's acquittal. Grivtsov said "there is no objective evidence of Maksimenko's guilt of any of the counts of crime" in the case.
The defense lawyers also told the court about numerous irregularities in the case, including with respect to its investigation and classification.
In his final statement, Maksimenko asked the court to acquit him.