MOSCOW, August 15 (RAPSI) – A prosecutor in the criminal case against former governor of the Novosibirsk Region Vasily Yurchenko, charged with abuse of office, has asked a court to sentence the defendant to four years in a penal colony, RIA Novosti reported on Monday.

He also asked to recover 14 million rubles (about $233,000) in favor of GazTransCom corporation.

According to prosecutor, Yurchenko’s guilt was proved and damage allegedly caused by the defendant reaches 14 million while the alleged damage caused to budget of the Novosibirsk Region in terms of tax shortcomings was removed from the indictment.

Prosecutors believe that Yurchenko abused his power and restricted rights of persons and legal entities to participate in auction over real estate in center of Novosibirsk causing damage to property of GazTransCom, at the time owned by the region.

In March of 2014, Yurchenko lost his office due to loss of trust. In May of the same year, negligence case was launched against the former governor, retracted by a prosecutor afterwards, and in May investigators launched a case over abuse of office.