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Former defense minister to answer investigator's questions in Oboronservis case on Friday

In December 2012, Serdyukov refused to be questioned because of his lawyer's illness

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, January 10 (Itar-Tass) — Former Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov will report to an investigator at the main office of the Investigative Committee on Friday, to answer his questions within the Oboronservis case, his lawyer Genrikh Padva told Itar-Tass on Thursday.

In December 2012, Serdyukov refused to be questioned because of his lawyer's illness and the Investigative Committee met his request to postpone the questioning.

"I'm well; I plan to come for questioning with my client by 10 o'clock tomorrow," Padva said.

Earlier, the main military investigation department /GVSU/ of the Investigative Committee /SK/ opened seven criminal cases over fraud involving 14 real estate facilities that belonged to the Oboronservis company subordinate to the Defense Ministry.

They were pooled in one case and are being investigated under the articles on fraud and exceeding and abusing authority.

Defense Ministry officials selected the most liquid and prestigious assets belonging to the Ministry, including Moscow-based property. As a rule, tremendous budget funds were injected into the property before it was sold at understated prices to commercial bodies affiliated with Oboronservis, the SK reported earlier.

Also, many facilities were purchased with the money stolen from Oboronservis.

The damage within the case is estimated at over four billion roubles.

Former head of the "Expert" legal support center Yekaterina Smetanova and her husband, former director general of a Moscow Military District warehouse Maxim Zakutailo are in custody on charges of fraud.

Former director of the Defense Ministry’s property department Yevgenia Vasilyeva is under house arrest.

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