MOSCOW, June 15 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko) – President Vladimir Putin said during the annual Q&A session with Russian citizens on Thursday that judicial system, although in need of improvement, should be trusted in matters of choosing punishment for criminals.

While answering the question about corruption from an audience member, Putin noted that recently former head of Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) Alexander Reimer was sentenced to eight years in prison for embezzlement. “A man formerly in charge of penitentiary violated the law himself. Eight years is a serious punishment. Let’s trust the judicial system in this matter, although it also requires improvement.”

Between 2010 and 2012, Reimer and his accomplices stole money allocated for the purchase of ankle bracelets for persons placed under house arrest. The procurement was pursued at an enormously overvalued price. Damage allegedly caused to the state budget was estimated at no less than 2.7 billion rubles ($47.3 million at the current exchange rate).

On June 14, Reimer was found guilty of embezzlement, fined 800,000 rubles ($14,000) and stripped of his General rank.