A court has recognized the evidence gathered by the investigating bodies of the Russia’s Investigative Committee for the Vladimir Region sufficient to convict former head of Cultural Heritage Protection Inspectorate Viktor Nefyodov, 57. He was found guilty of several crimes under paragraphs “a”, “b” and “c” of part 5 of article 290 of the RF Penal Code (bribery committed by a group of people in a previous concert on a large scale aggravated by extortion).
The court and investigators found that during 2009-2011, Nefyodov used his authority despite state interests acting together with his subordinate. handling making and agreement of certificates, projects of protection zones, borders and conditions of using the territories of cultural heritage of federal and regional importance the official put the interested persons in dependence and bound his subordinates make fictitious contractor’s agreements with clients disguised as rendering payable services.
Demonstrating his abilities to make obstacles for business, the head of the Inspectorate via head of department Irina Matushevskaya, who acted as a mediator, demanded from businessmen bribes, including 50% of state and municipal contracts. In December 2009, January and February 2010, businessmen had to agree to his illegal demands and passed him over 550 thousand rubles, small part of which he gave to Matushevskaya for mediation.
In addition, one of local businessmen was pressed for a year and a half to pay 500 thousand rubles for agreeing a project. In June 2011, the mediator was detained by law enforcement officials while receiving a bribe of 250 thousand rubles for Nefyodov and two bottles of cognac worth 9 thousand rubles.
Nefyodov dragged out both the investigation and the trial. Bodies of initial investigation limited his time for studying the files. The trial lasted since April 2012.
The Vladimir Region Court has sentenced the accused to 7.5 years to be served in a maximum-security penal colony and a fine of 30 million 544 thousand rubles. In addition he was banned from occupying any positions related to state authority or organization and managerial authorities on state service and in local governments for 3 years.
Matushevskaya, who concluded a pretrial cooperation deal, earlier received a suspended sentence of 4 years in prison and was banned from occupying any positions related to state authority or organization and managerial authorities on state service and in local governments for 2.5 years.
The cases were investigated in close cooperation with officials of the regional office of the Russian Interior Ministry.
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