MOSCOW, April 5 (Itar-Tass) — Former deputy Moscow mayor Alexander Ryabinin has denied the charges of stealing non-residential quarters in Varkhurshin Street and exceeding authority.
The former official who also occupied the post of head of the Moscow control department, announced his position at the Presnya court which began to consider a criminal case against him on the merits.
"I don't understand the indictment; I'm innocent," Ryabinin said.
At the beginning of the hearing, a prosecutor read the indictment. According to the document, Ryabinin, though intermediary Vadim Kozlov, attempted to steal 32 million roubles from head of the Avenue Management company Sergei Glyadelkin. He also stole the right to non-residential quarters totaling 220.5 square meters in Vakhrushin Street belonging to the Asra company, which cost at least 45 million roubles.
The crime involved exceeding of authority, the prosecutor for the state said.
Ryabinin, 53 and Vadim Kozlov, 42 were charged under Article159, part 4 /"stealing other's property by fraud and abuse of trust by a group of persons in collusion using one's position in service, in especially large amount"/.
Ryabinin is also accused under Article 286, Part 3 /"exceeding authority and causing grave consequences"/.
The defendants are on recognizance.
Earlier, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case over abuse of authority against Ryabinin, but the Moscow prosecutor overturned the resolution.
Ryabinin was an advisor to Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov in 2005-2006. In December 2006, he headed the committee for control and regulation of investment programs in Moscow, and in July 2007, he became deputy mayor for control over investments and contracts.
On September 29, 2010, acting Moscow mayor Vladimir Resin accepted Ryabinin's resignation of his own accord.