Former Minister of economic development of Russia Alexei Ulyukayev, accused of receiving bribes, was given yesterday, November 27, testimony in court.
According to Reuters, Ulyukayev told the court that he thought the bag he got from Igor Sechin, not money, and expensive alcohol.
Ex-Minister threatens till 15 years of imprisonment, if convicted of receiving two million dollars in cash from Sechin, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to prosecutors, the bribe Ulyukayev was in November of last year for approval of the sale of the oil company «Bashneft» , «Rosneft». The next day after the detention of Vladimir Putin dismissed the speaker.
The former Minister, addressing the court, noted that simply fell into the trap of assuming that the package is money.
«It was a provocation. Directed against me action planned in advance», — said Alexei Ulyukayev.
According to him, when he was Minister, Sechin two or three times visited him and gave gifts for different holidays, for example, a model of an oil derrick or a watch. And a month before receiving the money Igor Sechin allegedly promised to bring the wine, «what it never in my life have not tried».
«The bag weighed about 20 kilograms,» — said Ulyukayev. «And then I remembered his phrase about wine. I was sure that the head of «Rosneft» has given wine as a gesture of hospitality and friendship.»
Ulyukayev has accused Sechin in lies and slander: https://t.co/cpLCAQmqKX pic.twitter.com/S4IBvtbvXG
— Mishin Vladimir (@Kemer7770) November 27, 2017
