MOSCOW, August 25 (RAPSI) – The Central District Court of Russia’s Kemerovo has extended for three months detention of four defendants charged with bribery related to a case over the tragic fire in a local mall that has left 60 people dead in 2018, according to information on the court’s website.

The regional construction inspection’s chief Tanzilia Komkova, her son Eduard and CEO of ISK Resource company Nikita Cherednichenko and a department chief of the inspection Svetlana Shengerei will stay detained until November 26.

Court hearings against them started in mid-March. Depending on their alleged involvement they are charged with taking bribes, abuse of office and money laundering.

According to investigators, in 2013-2014, head manager of Kemerovo confectionery factory Vyacheslav Vishnevsky through the mediation of Viktor Yefimkin gave a 7-million-ruble bribe (about $95,000 at the present exchange rate) to Komkova, her son Eduard and Cherednichenko. The bribe was allegedly designated for help in favor of Vishnevsky.  The funds were transferred to Cherednichenko’s company and later cashed.

The fire occurred in the mall on March 25. According to investigators, 60 people including dozens of children were killed by fire. Initially it was reported that 64 people died.

In total, there are 15 defendants in the case over the deadly fire. Depending on their alleged role, they are charged with negligent homicide, fire safety breach resulted in multiple deaths, provision of substandard services and negligence.