Stavropol Territory: judge suspected of bribe-taking

Two criminal cases - on perversion of justice and bribe-taking - are investigated in relation to the former magistrate judge of Precinct No. 4, Shpakovsky District of the Stavropol Territory.

According to investigators, in February 2006, the judge took a bribe in the amount of 5000 roubles; and in exchange of the bribe he passed a knowingly wrong decision on the case of violating traffic rules without conducting a court session. The judge changed the qualifications of the offence and softened the sanction. He appointed a fine to the offender and ruled to return to him the driver's license confiscated by GIBDD (road police) inspectors.

The case is investigated under Part 1, Article 305 (making a willingly unfair judgment) of the Russian Criminal Code.

At present, this criminal is combined with the earlier initiated one against the same judge on the grounds of an offence under Part 3, Article 290 (bribery) of the Criminal Code.

The investigation of the criminal case continues, says the message of the Investigatory Department the Stavropol Territory of the Investigatory Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF), received by the editorial board of the "Caucasian Knot".