Lieutenant Colonel Arrested for Bribery in St. Petersburg

A police lieutenant colonel who headed the economic department of the investigative directorate of the UMVD (Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs) for St. Petersburg«s Vyborgsky District was detained on February 4 at Courage Square immediately after receiving the money.

Law enforcement believes that the officer received 100,000 rubles (about $1,100 at current rates) for promising to help a defendant in a criminal case avoid a strict pre-trial measure. He guaranteed the issuance of a written undertaking not to leave the area without a court hearing.

A criminal case was opened against the lieutenant colonel for bribery, and he was placed in a detention center for two days. He refused to testify, invoking his right not to incriminate himself. Then investigators detained his subordinate — a female investigator who was handling the case and was allegedly aware of the scheme.

According to some reports, the female officer may not have known about the bribe and became involved due to her superior«s actions. Colleagues hope that the investigation will establish all the circumstances of the incident.