MOSCOW, March 7 (RAPSI) – The Sapporo District Court has found Russian citizen Andrey Novosyolov, arrested in November 1997 for carrying weapons, not guilty, RIA Novosti reported on Tuesday citing a secretary of Russian General Consulate in Sapporo Sergey Konyayev.

In 1998, Novosyolov was sentenced to two years in Japanese prison and returned to Russia afterwards.

In 2013, his lawyers asked to review the case because of new information revealing that it had been framed up. According to results of initial investigation, Novosyolov tried to exchange a gun and ammunition for a used car. However, lawyers revealed that the deal was initiated by another party who was collaborating with police.

Japanese court acquitted Novosyolov preferred not to issue judgement on methods of investigation.