MOSCOW, August 27 (RAPSI) – The defense of Igor Pushkarev, an ex-mayor of the city of Vladivostok, charged with commercial bribery, abuse of office and taking bribes on a large scale, had asked the Moscow City court for a judgement of acquittal, Pushkaver’s lawyer Dmitry Tugushi told RAPSI.

The ex-mayors lawyers insist that when sentencing Pushkarev the court failed to comply with relevant requirements of law and passed its judgement basing on allegations and conflicting evidence.

The court is to hear the appeal against the sentence on August 29.

In April, Moscow’s Tverskoy District Court sentenced Pushkarev to 15 years in high security prison for commercial bribery, abuse of office and taking bribes on a large scale. Additionally, he was fined 500 million rubles ($8 million). The court also prohibited him from holding public posts for 10 years.

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

The court also sentenced Andrey Lushnikov, head of “Roads of Vladivostok”, to 10 years behind bars. Pushkarev’s brother Andrey Pushkarev, head of “Vostokcement” group, received an 8-year suspended term. They also were fined 500 million rubles each.

Prosecutors earlier asked the court to give Pushkarev 17 years in high security prison with a 500-million-ruble fine. The court was also asked to sentence Pushkerev’s brother and Lushnikov to 8 and 14 years respectively.

According to investigators, between 2009 and 2016, Pushkarev acting as a mayor of Vladivostok “from mercenary or other personal motives” organized the acquisition by “Roads of Vladivostok” of a large volume of construction materials from “Vostokcement” controlled by his relatives. Construction materials were allegedly purchased only from these companies and at inflated prices.

Pushkarev allegedly received upwards of 75 million rubles ($1.3 million at the current exchange rate) in money, goods and services from his brother Andrey.

In total, Vostokcement received over 1.2 billion rubles (about $21.4 million) for the delivered construction materials while Pushkarev’s relatives received dividends in the amount of more than 500 million rubles ($8.5 million), according to the Investigative Committee.

The defendants pleaded not guilty.

Pushkarev has been removed from his post by court order. Later, he filed in resignation.