A court has recognized the evidence gathered by the Main Military Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee sufficient to convict former head of 41st capital construction department of the Land Forces Main Command of the Russian Ministry of Defense (hereinafter – 41st department) retired Colonel Valery Linnikov. He was found guilty of a crime under paragraph “c” of part 3 of article 286 (excess of official authority entailing grave consequences).
The court and investigators have found out that in 2006, the 41 department transferred money to commercial companies to buy 320 flats for military servants serving in different regions of Russia. Aware that OOO Altair (LLC), OOO Grad-Stroy (LLC), OOO PP Razvitiye (LLC), OOO Servis Sibiri and K (LLC) had not provided the Defense Ministry with 111 flats worth over 340 million rubles overall (in prices of 2006-2007), Linnikov still signed acceptance certificates.
In addition, during the preliminary investigation, the investigators revealed that assistant of Land Forces Commander in Chief for quartering and accommodation – head of quartering and accommodation service (Land Forces) Colonel Boris Segeda and leading engineer of the housing department of the quartering and accommodation service (Land Forces) employee Galina Chelbanova had committed criminal actions. For a bribe of 7 thousand USD and construction of two holiday houses worth 1 million rubles overall, they illegally let a man, who had not right to get any housing provided by the state, to have 2 two-room flats in Moscow Region worth over 7 million rubles overall.
In total, during preliminary investigations in both cases 99 flats were returned to the Russian Ministry of Defense. The cost of the rest 12 flats is over 20.6 million rubles (in prices of 2006). A representative of the Ministry has filed an action against Linnikov on this sum, to satisfy which 2 Linnikov’s Audi cars have been arrested.
The 235th Harrison military court located in Moscow sentenced Linnikov to 4 years in prison to be served in a minimum-security penal colony and banned him from occupying any positions connected with economic or administrative functions for 3 years. Additionally, the court fully satisfied the action filed by the representative of the Defense Ministry and ruled the accused to pay the damage caused to the state.
Earlier Moscow district military court found Boris Segeda and Galin Chelbanova guilty of crimes under paragraphs “a” and “d” of part 4 of article 290 of the RF Penal Code (taking a bribe by a group of people in a previous concert and on a large scale) and sentenced them to 9 and 8 years in prison respectively.
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