MOSCOW, March 25 (RAPSI) – The Central District Court of Khabarovsk on Thursday acquitted two defense lawyers for ex-mayor of Vladivostok Igor Pushkarev in a case over perverting the course of justice, RAPSI learnt from the court.

The court found Yakov Sheinin and Sergey Golovanyuk not guilty of obstruction of justice committed by a group of conspirators.

According to the investigation, during the trial of Pushkarev and his accomplices, the attorneys attempted to obstruct justice using illegal methods and ways. They tried to influence through foul means and threats a representative of a victim, whose testimony uncovered the defendants, inducing him not to testify against Pushkarev.

Moreover, investigators claimed the lawyers put pressure on a representative of a victim through the Vladivostok administration’s officials. However, they could not win them round, the accusations read.

In April 2019, Moscow’s Tverskoy District Court sentenced Pushkarev to 15 years in a high-security prison for receiving bribes, abuse of power and graft. He was also fined 500 million rubles ($6.5 million at the current exchange rate) and barred from holding authority posts for 10 years.

Moreover, the court recovered 143 million rubles (about $2 million) from Pushkarev in favor of “Roads of Vladivostok” granting the company’s suit.