MOSCOW, March 6 (RAPSI) – A court in Kazan, the capital of Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan, has sentenced a former governor of a local prison to 2.5 years in jail for taking bribes, the regional prosecutor’s office reported Tuesday.

In 2013, the defendant using his job position received 50,000 rubles (about $900) and construction materials valued at more than 45,000 rubles for building his own house from a businessman in exchange for the protection of his company operations within the prison, the statement reads.

The 35-year old defendant has pleaded not guilty.

The sentence has not become effective yet.