“Thinner and unusually restrained Zakharchenko”

What scared the colonel-billionaire from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Fede

On August 3rd, the Moscow City Court finished considering the sensational appeal in the case of ex-colonel-billionaire Dmitry Zakharchenko. The process started on November 15 last year, then was postponed several times due to Zakharchenko's protests, as well as the severe progressive illness of businessman Valery Markelov (pancreatic cancer in the terminal stage), due to which he could not participate in the process.



The July 13 meeting was adjourned due to Markelov's death. The verdict to the businessman did not come into force, he did not admit his guilt, and due to bureaucratic delays and the position of the ex-judge of the Presnensky Court, Sergei Artemov, he was unable to start treatment in a timely manner. It is significant that after the verdict in the case of Zakharchenko, Artemov went for a promotion to the Moscow City Court.

On August 3, Valery Markelov's death certificate was presented to the Moscow City Court by his defense. Zakharchenko, who had lost a lot of weight and was unusually restrained, was brought to the meeting room in person, and his alleged accomplices Viktor Belevtsov and Vasily Kritinin were connected via videoconferencing. Markelov's brother Mikhail acted as the legal representative of Markelov, who declared Valery Markelov's innocence and asked to cancel the verdict.

Kritinin's defense immediately issued a statement about the death of his client's father, as well as the illness of his child. After that, the court proceeded to announce the appeals against the verdict, which the defenders called "inadmissible, unfounded, up to typos copied from the indictment", asking him to cancel and issue an acquittal.

After that, Zakharchenko took the floor. He emotionally spoke about the fact that he was never allowed to get acquainted with the evidence in the case, primarily with the "Platform", where, according to the prosecution, all the "black" cash transactions were reflected, and also questioned the qualifications and impartiality of those who spoke in the Presnensky court witnesses. In the end, he asked to acquit all the accused "due to the absence of a crime event."



State prosecutor Milana Digaeva predictably began to object, noting that no one prevented the defenders and the accused from studying the evidence, calling them exhaustive, sufficient and consistent, and also examined in court to the extent necessary.

She asked that the sentences of Zakharchenko, Belevtsov and Kritinin be left in force, and that the criminal case against Markelov be dropped in view of his death.

The cornerstone requirement of the defenders - the study of the laptop with the "Platform" was rejected by the court, citing the absence of such a need and supporting the corresponding petition of the state prosecution.

Zakharchenko, who started the debate, had to be stopped and, at the request of the presiding judge, “to explain to him the essence of the judicial debate.” “Your honor,” the ex-colonel said after a short break, “following your instructions, I will reduce my 118 arguments to a minimum.” After that, he talked for another half an hour about the fact that he paid for his vacation in Sochi himself, did not receive any bribes, and no one provided evidence to the contrary.

Lawyer Alexander Gofshtein in his speech pointed out that, in accordance with all legislative norms, Markelov's sentence should be canceled, and after that the criminal case against him should be dismissed. Separately, Gofshtein noted the unsubstantiated accusations, their stereotyped, inconsistent, groundless and "absurdity."

In a surprisingly short last word, Zakharchenko asked for "law and justice." To the amazement of those present, who expected that this would not happen until Friday, the judges went into the deliberation room to make a decision.



The troika of the Moscow City Court, chaired by Inna Tardzhumanyan, determined that the criminal case against Markelov should be terminated, the sentence canceled, and the seizure of property removed. The verdict against Dmitry Zakharchenko, Vasily Kritinin and Viktor Belevtsov was upheld.

To be continued...

Denis Zhirnov

Source: www.rucriminal.info