“During the confrontation Konovalov pleaded guilty. He said that he himself had personally planted drugs on Ivan Golunov at the request of Lyakhovets. Lyakhovets laughed at that. What Konovalov says is nonsense. He says this, looking at the floor and something tambourine under his breath. Lyakhovets understands perfectly well that he never gave such instructions to anyone and could not give them. This is the pressure of the investigation, ”the lawyer said.
He did not disclose details of Konovalov’s testimony.
The investigation suspects Lyakhovets, the former head of the department for controlling the trafficking of heroin, cocaine and synthetic drugs, the Internal Affairs Directorate in the Western District of Moscow, in organizing the detention of journalist Ivan Golunov in June 2019.
Lyakhovets himself said that “moral and psychological pressure” was exerted on him.
On January 30, the Basmanny Court of Moscow arrested five former employees of the anti-drug trafficking department.
According to investigators, Denis Konovalov, Akbar Sergaliev, Roman Feofanov, Maxim Umetbaev and Igor Lyakhovets were members of a criminal group and threw prohibited substances to Golunov. The ex-police themselves do not admit guilt.