MOSCOW, July 13 (RAPSI) — Russia's Supreme Court has upheld a 12-year jail term for Alexander Drymanov, the retired head of Moscow’s Investigative Committee, sentenced for his role in a bribery scheme, the press service of the court told RAPSI.

The Supreme Court excluded an indication of the conviction of Drymanov from the descriptive and analytical part of the sentence. Otherwise, the sentence and the appellate decision were left unchanged, the cassation appeals were dismissed, the statement reads.

Moreover, the court dismissed appeals against the sentences of two other defendants, Colonel Alexey Kramarenko and ex-investigator Mikhail Maksimenko.

The Moscow City Court convicted and sentenced Drymanov in March 2020. In addition to the prison term he was fined 196 million rubles ($2.6 million at the current exchange rate), prohibited from holding law enforcement and state posts for 7 years and deprived of his Major General rank. Kramarenko received 10 years in a high-security prison. Maksimenko was ordered to be imprisoned for 14 years. 

As it was established by the court and investigators, the defendants received a $1 million bribe for mitigation of restrictive measures with respect to a member of an organized gang. 

Neither of the defendants admitted guilt.

According to Drymanov's testimony, since 2013, he has been constantly under the state protection, what, in his opinion, prevented any opportunity to receive bribes. Officers of security agencies routinely examined his office and listened to his phones, the general said in court. He emphasized that he could not affect decisions in criminal cases due to their quantity, but relied on the honesty of his subordinates.