MOSCOW, November 24 (RAPSI) – Prosecutors asked a district court in Nizhny Novgorod to jail ex-Governor of Mari El Republic Leonid Markelov charged in a 235 million-ruble ($3 million) bribery case for 17 years, lawyer Igor Trunov told RAPSI on Tuesday.

According to the attorney, the prosecution demanded 10 and 4.5 years behind bars for two other defendants businessperson Natalia Kozhanova and Markelov’s ex-deputy Iraida Dolgusheva respectively.

Investigators believe that Markelov acting as the republic’s governor received through Kozhanova 235 million rubles from the founder of Akashevskaya factory Nikolay Krivash as a bribe for common protection and assistance in the property payment of funds provided by the state support for development of the agricultural complex.

According to defense lawyer Sergey Sevruk, Markelov is also a defendant in another criminal case over illegal possession of ammunition. Media also reported that there is the third case against the former official over abuse of power.

Markelov pleads not guilty to all accusations.