MOSCOW. Jan 17 (Interfax) - The jury at the Moscow City Court have acquitted the head of the Moscow region's Zaraisk district, Andrei Yevlanov, and his wife, accused of an attempt to take an over 10-million ruble bribe for illegal re-registration of ownership rights in a land plot.
The jury, by a vote of seven to five, agreed on Yevlanov's innocence, an Interfax correspondent reported.
Valentina Yevlanova was acquitted by a vote of nine to three.
The delivery of the verdict was followed by the discussion of its legal effects, during which both the prosecutor and the defendants' lawyers asked to uphold the jury's verdict.
The sentencing is due on January 18.
Head of the Russian Investigative Committee's Moscow office Anatoly Bagmet told Interfax in January 2010 that Yevlanov was facing criminal charges on suspicion of an attempt to take a massive bribe.
"Yevlanov, while in office, suggested to the assistant of a limited liability company director that the right to permanent use of a land plot in the Zaraisk district be re-registered as an ownership right in return for $360,000," Bagmet said.
The criminal case was opened against Yevlanov on the charge of attempted bribe taking. His wife Valentina, who investigators believe was supposed to assist the money handover, was charged with complicity in this crime.