MOSCOW, February 20 (RAPSI) – The Moscow City Court on Thursday has mitigated the sentence to Vladimir Topekhin, a paralyzed man convicted for fraud, for two years, defense attorney Svetkana Sidorkina told RAPSI.

According to the attorney, the court mitigated the sentence from six to four years in prison, leaving the general security prison as means of detention. She added that currently, Federal Penitentiary Service has no facilities that can provide competent neurological treatment that Topekhin requires.

During the hearing, Topekhin was confined to a bed in a videoconference cell. He stated that his health was deteriorating, and added that the medical staff prescribed him with antidepressant drugs.

Investigators allege that while Topekhin was working as an auditor he received a payment of 10 million rubles ($299,390) from a client that sought assistance in establishing a legal consultancy firm in Moscow. With the money, Topekhin was supposed to rent a safe deposit box and some office space, and handle the paperwork. Topekhin is believed instead to have pocketed the money.

Prior to his arrest, Topekhin was injured in a car accident, and lost the use of both legs and one arm during the course of his detention.  In January, Topekhin’s attorney had filed an application with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in December seeking his immediate release from custody.