Judge of Mahilou to face 14-year sentence for bribery

A court completed hearing the oral arguments of the parties in the case of Magomed Umarov, a former deputy chair of the Kastrychnitski district court of Mahilou, and lawyer Anatoly Homanau.

Public prosecutor Anatoly Miatselski asked the court to sentence Magomed Umarov to 14 years in a medium security correctional facility and confiscation of property, and give Anatoly Homanau a 18-month non-custodial sentence, BelaPAN reports.

Umarov's defence asked to acquit him. Homanau's defence asked to drop fraud charges. The former judge pleaded not guilty, while the lawyer admitted his guilt.

Umarov was detained on June 20, 2013, on suspicion of accepting a bribe. The KGB said an illegal monetary reward of $2,700 was received by the court deputy chair from Anatoly Homanau for a needed decision in a criminal case against Homanau's client and reducing a possible punishment.

Umarov is charged with violating part 3 of article 430 (repeated bribe-taking on a large scale by a high-ranking official), article 13 and part 2 of article 431 (preparing to give a large bribe committed repeatedly), article 13 and part 3 of article 209 (preparations for embezzlement through deceit and abuse of trust, frauds on a large scale) of the Criminal Code. He is in custody now.

The KGB department for the Mahilou region opened a criminal case against Homanau for violating part 1 of article 431 (giving a bribe) and part 1 of article 209 (embezzlement though abuse of trust, frauds) of the Criminal Code. He is not in custody, but cannot leave the city.

The court is due to deliver the verdict on April 7.