the governor Kirov region Nikita Belykh was detained on June 24, 2016 by
the Press service of Committee of inquiry then reported: "According to the investigators, Nikita Belykh personally and through the intermediary got bribes in especially large size for total amount of 400 thousand euros (that there correspond 24,1 million rubles) for commission of actions in favor of the briber and JOINT-STOCK COMPANY "NLK" and LLC "Management company "Leskhoz", and also for the general protection and connivance on service at implementation by Government of Kirov region controls behind a course of realization by the enterprises of investment projects and conducting business activity in the territory".
Itself Nikita Belykh the fault denied and denies still, claiming that money had to be directed on the charitable purposes. In this regard in the first days of the conclusion it even arranged hunger strike in a pre-trial detention center. At the beginning of July his arrest prolonged, and at the end of July — President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin dismissed him from a post of the governor of the region "in connection with trust loss".
long months of investigation during which in the press continually there was any information on the stay Nikita Belykh in a pre-trial detention center stretched Further: lawyers, for example, often reported about deterioration of his health, more than once it appeared in prison hospital - "Matrosskaya Tishina". But in private life of the ex-governor of the region there were serious changes: it presented to public the bride (the poetess Reyfert Catherina), then long asked the judge to allow them to get married and at last - on November 14 last year is an event happened.
Two cases in one
Before it became known on March 22, 2017 that concerning Nikita Belykh initiated one more proceedings on a bribe in 200 thousand euros which, according to the investigators, were transferred to the ex-governor by the former vice-chairman Oblastnoye government Sergei Shcherchkov. Both cases were united in one production. On March 29 it became known that the Committee of inquiry finished investigation of criminal case of the ex-governor Kirov region Nikita Belykh, and on September 5 in Presnensky district court of Moscow trials in essence, with a call of witnesses began.
of Meeting passed nearly an every week. On November 15 last year the main person involved in this business — the German businessman Zudkhaymer Youri was interrogated. According to him, in 2013 it acquired 99% of shares of NLK and 75% of stocks LLC management company "Leskhoz" at the friend Laritsky Albert (the last, by the way, in November, 2016 received three years of a colony on the case of fraud) which convinced the businessman that 300 thousand cubic meter of the wood "are applied" to the enterprises. This it was solved within the investment project and it is coordinated with the governor.
Zudkhaymer Youri wanted to bankrupt the enterprises, but Nikita Belykh convinced him of the return, considering that it will negatively affect image of the region. In courts the prosecutor asked about the events anticipating bribery: — Whether there was between you and Nikita Belykh any meeting at which the requirement to transfer it money expressed? — In 2014 Nikita Belykh, as always, invited to a meeting, I arrived. It was March, the beginning of year. At a meeting he told me that … I do not know how to formulate it … He told that there is "dachshund" whom the enterprise has to pay, every year, 200 thousand euros that she was established at the time of Laritsky Albert.
Money, by words Zudkhaymer Youri, were transferred Nikita Belykh directly in its office in the government in May, 2014. When it asked to transfer the second sum in the same volume in 2016, he addressed in Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, and those started observing.
and (most likely too being) the friend Nikita Belykh Sergei Shcherchkov interrogated on November 29, 2017 the former vice-chairman of Government of Kirov region about one bribe which, according to the investigators, was transferred Nikita Belykh in the spring of 2012 from Laritsky Albert. By words Sergei Shcherchkov, he personally agreed to give a package to the governor, initially without knowing that there. Received, glanced inside, saw four packs of 500 euros and was surprised. The deputy chairman came to an office to Nikita Belykh and transferred money. After that, according to the witness, the governor told him to continue to help the enterprises Zudkhaymer Youri.
it was justified partially
byAlso during judicial proceedings the ex-director of NLK Sysolyatin Vladimir who told that the enterprise was profitable is interrogated. The former minister of forestry of the region Akhmadullin Ravil told that he anything does not know about protection by the governor of NLK and "Forestry", and that the last enterprise needed to be supported surely though from it and there should not be a big benefit. Chapter of Department of the federal tax service of the Kirov region Charushina Svetlana told about how Nikita Belykh criticized activity tax and its influence (negative) on investment policy of the region.
byfrom protection among the other were interrogated Usenko Andrey, heading Vyatka charity foundation, Russkikh Anton, working as the assistant to the governor, Galitskikh Alexander, the former deputy chairman Oblastnoye government. They told about in what charity the defendant was engaged, much he praised, and Russkikh Anton declared that Nikita Belykh was "the best governor and worked for 24 hours per day".
"I consider that during this period when Nikita Belykh was a governor, the region made serious advance on a number of the directions — to infrastructure, development the relations between society and the power, than I specifically was engaged, on economic indicators", - Usenko Andrey explained to courts.
In the last word Nikita Belykh once again told that it did not take bribes and asked courts to acquit him. However it did not happen.
the Sentence read on February 1 — process lasted after a dinner to the late evening. As a result Nikita Belykh was justified on one of episodes of receiving a bribe — from Laritsky Albert in 2012. However on the rests it is found guilty and sentenced to a penalty in 48,5 million rubles and to 8 years of a colony of a high security. Besides, within three years he will be forbidden to hold the state positions.
In a few minutes after sentence announcement the comment in this occasion were published by the State Office of Public Prosecutor: "Court not fully agreed with a state charge position (an edition: prosecutors asked 10 years of imprisonment). In this regard the issue of the appeal appeal of a sentence will be resolved in time established by the law".
the appeal will be prepared also by the protection party. The lawyer Nikita Belykh Grokhotov Andrey declared that they will appeal against sentence, demanding to retrain business: actions of the ex-governor cannot be treated as a bribe as he acted not in personal interests.
of Opinion:
Chebotarev Ian, lawyer:
- excellent tactics and the strategy of charge shown in this game of chess Attracts attention. Calculation was on that Nikita Belykh after detentions will go to the transaction with a consequence, pleads guilty and business will come to the end with "special" order. At such development situations the sentence could be even conditional since there was a possibility of qualification of actions Nikita Belykh not as bribes, and only as attempts at that.
But it did not happen toand the consequence was compelled to strengthen the game: Laritsky Albert who was supported by Sergei Shcherchkov. Derivation of attention Nikita Belykh from Sudgaymer was a problem of this sheaf. The combination was done with the greatest ease. Court put Nikita Belykh a mat for 8 years of strictly mode. The justification on an episode with Laritsky Albert deprives of it opportunity to accuse courts of bias. The appeal to Municipal court of Moscow will not help to reconsider results of party and Nikita Belykh will be able to come again to a board only in 2021. Conditional ahead of schedule. If, of course, it turns out. Nikita Belykh it is a pity.
Russkikh Dimitri, deputy of Legislative Assembly of IV and V convocations (edition: was in courts):
Impression heavy, even the tragic. In my opinion, Nikita Belykh up to the end believed that everything can go in a different way. And the more long the judge read a sentence, the further, apparently, his hopes were dissolved because the sentence initially was accusatory. Read very long — nearly 10 hours. Several times the judge stopped because Nikita Belykh did droppers, besides, he took a pill. The judge even suggested it to sit down, but he refused.
it is good that one case nevertheless excluded from charge. Probably, the evidential base there was weak. And the sentence appeared not the most rigid — a minimum of years under this article. But thus and 8 years of prison at such, in my opinion, weak evidential base — it are a lot of. And I think that the probability of mitigation of a sentence is unfortunately improbable.
Okatyeva Helena
of Lena.okatieva@yandex.ru