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Polish court asked for temporary custody of Russian ex-prosecutor Ignatenko

The court will convene on Wednesday
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

WARSAW, January 3 (Itar-Tass) —— The district prosecutor’s office in Nowy Sacz, Poland, has asked the local court for temporary arrest of ex-Moscow regional first deputy prosecutor Alexander Ignatenko.

Ignatenko is accused of taking bribes from the owners of an illegal gaming business in the Moscow region. The Moscow Basmanny District Court authorized his arrest in absentia on July 13, 2011. The Investigation Committee brought the charges of fraud and bribe taking on June 28, 2011. He was put on the Interpol international wanted list.

The Nowy Sacz city court press secretary said that the appeal was lodged on Tuesday evening and the judge was considering it. The court will convene on Wednesday morning, she said.

In turn, the press secretary of the Nowy Sacz district prosecutor’s office said that the detainee had been questioned. If the court orders his arrest, the prosecutors will wait for a Russian extradition request, she said.

A decision must be made within 24 hours. If the temporary arrest is sanctioned, the court will consider the validity of the extradition appeal. A denial of the extradition will be final, and the approval of the extradition will require a confirmation by the Polish justice minister.

The Polish Internal Security Agency detained Igantenko at 8:00 p.m. local time (11:00 p.m. Moscow time) on January 1 at the exit from Zakopane where he came for a few days to meet with his family. The car of Ignatenko was stopped on the road to Krakow. He did not resist the detention.