Viktar Pilipets: Investigators use flagrant illegal methods

The defendants made their final statements at the trial in Pilipets's case.

Viktar Pilipets said the investigation used “flagrant and sometimes illegal methods”. He said even property of witnesses was attached, which, he thinks, was an arbitrary decision by certain members of the investigative team, BelaPAN reports.

“Their accusations relate not to stealing, but to buying flats at the price the flats were put on sale,” the former chairman of the Homel city executive committee said.

He claims the accusations are based on suggestions, guesses and speculations that have no grounds. “I am shocked at what is happening,” the defendant said.

The rest defendants didn't admit their guilt saying the accusations were ungrounded and their actions neither had criminal intentions not violated the law.

Judge Siarhei Koneu heard the final statements and scheduled the next trial for April 22 to deliver his verdict.

On November 4, 2013, the Mahilou regional court began hearing a criminal case against high-ranking officials of the Homel city executive committee. According to the Investigation Committee, in September-October 2011, the defendants distributed among relatives and friends 24 flats in the blocks of flats were put into service in January-April 2011. Later, the flats were sold at well below the market price. Some of the premises were registered in the name of dummies.

The accused persons, besides Pilipets, include Ihar Adarchanka, the director of the Homel capital construction department; Valery Barysevich, the deputy director of the Homel capital construction department responsible for economic and financial issues; Antanina Zelianok, the head of the housing and investment department; and Ala Nizkouskaya, the head of the plan and contract department. Pilipets and Nizkouskaya are held in a pretrial detention facility in Mahilou.