Ministry For Emergency Situations’ Top-Ranked Official Imprisoned For 10 Years For Bribery

They will also confiscate Vital Tulay’s car, house, and money.

Vital Tulay, the first deputy head of the Minsk city department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Belarus, was found guilty of having received 23 thousand dollars from the former employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations as a bribe, tut.by writes.

— The essence is clear to me, I do not admit guilt. The charge is based on the testimonies of two interested people who slandered me. <...> Where is this money? I do not see it. Let me hold it in my hands at least, — Vital Tulay said during trial.

Today the Lenin district court of Minsk put an end to his case and announced the verdict. The employee of the Ministry of Emergency Situations was found guilty under part 2, part 3 of Art. 430 "Taking a bribe" and sentenced to 10 years in prison. In addition, his property will be confiscated: an unfinished house in the Minsk region, an apartment, a car, 76 thousand dollars and 11,5 thousand euros. According to the verdict of the court, he is forbidden to occupy leading positions for 5 years, and he is also deprived of the rank of "colonel". As for the charge under Art. 429 of the Criminal Code "Illegal participation in business", Vital Tulay was acquitted.

The second defendant int he case Siarhei Palanevich was sentenced to 2,5 years of liberty restriction.

Vital Tulay was arrested in a cafe on December 23, 2015. On that day, he met with former colleagues from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, who organized their own firm to install fire detectors. According to state prosecutor Tsimafei Kanoda, the person involved in the criminal case was detained red-handed. As Vital Tulay insists, it was not a bribe, he borrowed money for an expensive surgery for his wife.

The former first deputy head of the Minsk city department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Belarus was accused of taking money from the heads of firms to resolve issues within his competence. He was also engaged in illegal entrepreneurial activities: he introduced his father-in-law into the board of founders of one of the firms and received income from it.

During the trial, Tulay denied everything, but he did not hide that since July 2014 to December 2015 he received Br 10 million from witness Mukavozchyk every month to pass to his father-in-law. Allegedly these were dividends, since the father-in-law and Mukavozchik worked together in the same company, and the father-in-law was an elderly person, and money was conveniently passed through Tulay.

The total amount of bribes was 23 thousand dollars.

— Judging from the sums, I am a secretive millionaire, — Tulay said during the trial, ironically.

Besides, former boss of Vital Tulay is also behind the bars now. In 2015, Dzmitry Biahun headed the Minsk city department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, then he was promoted and became Deputy Minister for Emergency Situations. In March, the president said that Biahun was detained for taking bribes.

The verdict against Vital Tulay has not come into legal force and can be appealed.