MOSCOW, July 30 (RAPSI) – A court in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod has sentenced five ex-policemen of the Republic of Tatarstan to prison terms ranging from 5 to 12 years for initiation of illegal prosecution of four persons with the use of force against them, the press service of the Prosecutor General’s Office reports.

Additionally, they have been banned from holding certain posts for 2-2.5 years. All of them have been also deprived of their ranks of Police Major and Police Colonel. 

One more defendant, current police employee, has been ordered to the 4.5-year jail but released from the punishment due to the expiration of statute of limitations, the statement reads.

Depending on their roles and involvement the defendants have been found guilty of abuse of office, illegal purchase and storage of drugs, theft and hindering conduct of preliminary investigation.

According to court records, between May 2008 and May 2013, the defendants used violence and special tools conducted illegal operational activities against four victims after fabricating a drug case against them. Moreover, ex-chief of a Kazan district department of the Interior Ministry stole a laptop, 48,000 rubles ($650) and construction tools from an apartment. His actions caused damage worth over 70,000 rubles ($950).