The court dedicated its first meeting in 2022 to another study of the notorious “database,” which, according to the prosecution, reflects illegal money transfers in favor of the “policeman” colonel. An expert helped him with this – Anastasia Semikalenova, associate professor at Moscow State Law Academy, who also has a higher technical education in the field of computer technology. According to her, the procedure for copying the database under discussion, applied by the investigation and described in the protocol, does not guarantee that it was copied accurately and without changes. Moreover, significant changes can be made to a database that has already been copied without following certain procedures. Considering the number of manipulations carried out with the database by the investigation and during court hearings, Semikalenova said that she could not vouch for the integrity, reliability of the database, as well as the immutability of its data.
Before this, judge Sergei Artemov considered the petition of state prosecutor Milana Digaeva for the next extension of the preventive measure for all those involved in the case. An outraged Zakharchenko said that the next extension of his stay in custody was groundless and criminal. In turn, the defense reminded the court that it is impossible to keep people whose guilt has not been proven for more than 3 years. And lawyer Alexander Gofshtein added, “the stage of the legal proceedings is such that it simply makes no sense for the accused to put pressure on the investigation, because all its arguments have already been voiced.” Despite the arguments presented, the court supported the state prosecution and left all the defendants in custody until April 21.
It is interesting to note that rumors are actively circulating on the sidelines of the court that a verdict in this high-profile case will be rendered in the next couple of months. Some defense representatives are cautious in expressing this opinion. However, according to the almost unanimous opinion of observers, the state prosecution failed to portray those involved in the case as bribe-takers and corrupt officials. This puts the investigation in an awkward position. The origin of the money found on the “militiaman”-colonel remains unclear. “The investigation will probably take some unexpected steps in this regard,” one of the defense representatives suggested in a private conversation. “At least that’s what we expect.”
The judge scheduled the next court hearing for January 26. The Cheka-OGPU will follow the news.
“ВЧК ОГПУ”
