Court to begin review of criminal case against Navalny on April 17

The Lenin district court of Kirov will begin, on April 17, the review of the criminal case against lawyer Alexei Navalny and former director of the Vyatka Timber company Pyotr Ofitserov, accused of squandering property of the Kirovles company. "The hearing of the criminal case is to begin at 09:00, Moscow time, on April 17," the court said on its website on Wednesday. Navalny is accused under Article 33, Part 3, and Article 160, Part 4 /masterminding misappropriation or squandering/, while Ofitserov is accused under Article 33, Part 5 and Article 160, Part 5 /abetting misappropriation or squandering/. The investigator believes that more than 10,000 cubic meters of timber were stolen in the period from May through September 2009, causing a 16-million-rouble damage to the regional budget. Navalny and Ofitserov denied their guilt when finalized charges were brought against them on January 18, 2013.