Court puts off hearing of ex-minister Ulyukayev case for Sep 1

MOSCOW, Aug 16 (PRIME) -- The Zamoskvoretsky District Court of Moscow has postponed consideration of a U.S.$2 million bribery case against former Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev to September 1, according to information obtained by PRIME at the court session on Wednesday.

At the session, the prosecution said that Ulyukayev demanded a bribe from state-controlled oil company Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin at a BRICS summit in exchange for a positive assessment of Rosneft’s plans to acquire Bashneft.

“Ulyukayev, while on a business trip, demanded a $2 million bribe from Sechin for nonobstruction to the deal. Sechin thought the demand was serious,” the prosecutor said.

“On the 14th of November 2016, there was a telephone conversation between Sechin and Ulyukayev, when the latter confirmed his previous intention to receive a bribe, agreed to come to a Rosneft office on the agreed day at 17 o’clock. Between 17 and 17.25, while on the territory of the Rosneft office on the Sofyiskaya embankment, Ulyukayev received a $2 million bribe personally from Sechin, who was acting in the framework of special investigation activities.”

Ulyukayev pleaded not guilty and said it was a setup organized by Sechin and the Federal Security Service.

“The FSB has been preparing for several weeks, was waiting for me to come, but I wouldn’t come…Since I did not come to take the money, Sechin called me personally and persuaded to come,” Ulyukayev said. “The FBS has set up the bribe situation basing on false accusations from Sechin and (former company security head Oleg) Feoktistov.”

Ulyukayev’s defense asked the court to return the case to the prosecutors’ office, but the request was rejected.

Rosneft’s press secretary Mikhail Leontyev said his company will not comment on the ex-minister’s words and authorizes the court to investigate into the details.

Earlier in August, the court prolonged house arrest for Ulyukayev until January 28, 2018.

The ex-minister was arrested in November 2016. He can face up to 15 years in prison.

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