MOSCOW, November 11 (RAPSI) – A prosecution witness in a corruption case against ex-director of the Investigative Committee's Main Investigations Directorate, General Alexander Drymanov, on Monday refused to testify in the Moscow City Court, RAPSI reports from the courtroom.

Thus, ex-employee of the Russian Investigative Committee Denis Bogorodetsky withheld evidence citing the article 51 of the Constitution saying that nobody should witness against self, spouses or close relatives.

Following this statement, the court decided to examine behind closed doors testimony the witness gave during the investigation.

Drymanov was arrested in mid-July 2018. He stands charged with receiving two large-scale and especially large-scale bribes. The defendant pleads not guilty and calls the case fabricated.

In March 2018, Drymanov was questioned as a witness in a case against ex-chief of the Investigative Committee’s Internal Security Directorate Mikhail Maksimenko. On April 20, Maksimenko was found guilty of taking two bribes and received a 13-year prison sentence. Additionally, he was fined 165 million rubles ($2.5 million).

During interrogation the general denied alleged participation of Maksimenko in a corruption scheme.