Doc, contract // New details about Veaceslav Platon’s extradition. How many policemen escorted the businessman to Chisinau and how much the General Police Inspectorate paid them

Anastasia Nani
07/12/2016
Veaceslav Platon. Foto: asn.in.ua

Magistrates of the Court of Appeal in Kiev, Ukraine quashed the decision  of the court  in Pecersk region  on the extradition of the businessman Veaceslav Platon. Judges have repeatedly ordered the examination of this case. Lawyer Ilya Novikov explained that Ukrainian prosecutors should ensure the presence of the businessman in hearings in the neighboring country.

"I want to prevent the appearance of unhealthy sensational news. Decision of the Court of Appeal in Kiev does not annul the extradition of Veaceslav Platon to Moldova. It establishes that the refusal of the court on contesting extradition, in the absence of Veaceslav Platon at the hearing, is illegal. This confirms the rule - "first you go to all courts and then you are extradited". Extradition complaint will be examined again, and representatives of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine will seek  a solution how to bring to Kiev court a man who was extradited by them to Moldova. There is also the PACE statement on pressure on witnesses in this case with the connivance of law enforcement bodies of Ukraine and the latest episodes regarding the prosecution of Platon's lawyers", wrote Ilia Novikov on the social network Facebook.

Veacesalv Platon is prosecuted for bank frauds and money laundering in the case of “Russian Laundromat”. An arrest warrant was issued by the anti-corruption prosecutors on July 25 and he was declared internationally wanted on the same day. The businessman was detained several hours later in Kiev. One month later, on August 30,  the General Prosecutor’s Office announced  telegraphically that the businessman was extradited. Neither the Prosecutor’s Office, nor the General Police Inspectorate, institution in charge with the extradition, provided details.

A recent investigation carried out  by the Centre for Investigative Journalism reveals that this operation involved two charter aircrafts. Officially, Chisinau authorities have required the services of an intermediary company - ICS Handling – and  paid about 1,690 dollars, though the real price for such services is several times more expensive.

Journalists of the portal Anticoruptie.md obtained new documents and details from General Police Inspectorate about Veaceslav Platon’s extradition. The businessman was escorted to Chisinau by four employees of the National Investigation Inspectorate of the General Police Inspectorate  and the institution spent 63.124 lei  per day for  the delegation of these employees. "To ensure the safety of employees of police responsible for the extradition of the afore mentioned person (Veaceslav Platon - no), and taking into account the situation in the neighboring state, they decided to extradite him  by plane using  Air Moldova flight  9U 9898  at 7.20 dated 29.08.2016 , departure from Airport KIV - Chisinau and return on the same day  with flight 9U 9897  at 19.45 with departure  from KBP-Borispol Airport, Kiev.  5 tickets for employees of the police and one for the return trip of the extradited person were bought”, writes  a reply signed by Alexandru Panzari, head of the General Police Inspectorate.

According to the same reply, the authorities in Kiev delayed the arrival of Veaceslav Platon to  Borispol Airport,  and the return tickets were lost. Next, the Chisinau authorities have  required the services of  ICS Handling  company that brokered a  charter flight to Chisinau.

Under the agreement signed between the General Police Inspectorate (GPI)  and ICS Handling, the flight cost just 1.690 dollars. The  GPI was supposed to transfer the money within 5 working days of receipt of invoice. „If the money is not transferred in set period, the carrier has the right not to perform flights”, writes the document. It is now clear when the money was transferred as the flight was on Sunday.

Veaceslav Platon arrived in Moldova on August 29 at about 22.30. Under the information obtained by the journalists of the Center for Investigative Journalism, 2 charter flights landed at that time on the Chisinau International Airport. Takeoff distance of both flights was 7 minutes. This information is confirmed by MoldATSA. In an official reply received by CIJM, the institution informs us that the two planes   took off from Kiev to Chisinau and after passengers left the planes on Chisinau International Airport, these planes went to different directions. One returned to Kiev and another one to Antalya, Turkey.

Gulfstream G200 Galaxy, a luxury airplane with ten passenger seats landed first on runway. As Veaceslav Platon said in his speech before the magistrates of the Court of Appeal, the plane had silver wings. According to data from the generation and processing flight system of CFMU of Eurocontrol, the flight was operated by ICF, a big foreign company that provides consulting in various fields, from business to health. Also, the company provides air transport services.  Information from CFM system of Eurocontrol reveals that the aircraft, with the registration number T7-PRM, used for this flight is owned by another company, ICS Aero SM SRL. The same information is confirmed by the Database search of planes "Airframes.org"  running that ICS Aero SM SRL would have bought the  luxury aircraft in March 2016. ICS Aero SM SRL is a Ukrainian company which has its  office at Juliani Airport in Kiev.

The second charter flight that accompanied the plane that was used to extradite Platon, was operated by aircraft  Raytheon 390 Premier,  with Ukrainian matriculation number UR-USA.  According to the state Register of civil planes in Ukraine, the aircraft Raytheon 390 Premier,  called Hawker Beechcraft 390, matriculation number UR-USA is used by Business Jet Travel operator (Бізнес Джет Тревел - ucr.),  but it is owned to the company Sky Center Holding Corp., off-shore in Panama. The plane was registered in Ukraine on May 11, 2016.

Both planes were previously used by MPs from Kiev and by president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenco.

Other details about Veaceslav Platon’s extradition, you can find out in the investigation “Luxury extradition of Veaceslav Platon: 2 charter flights and unknown overseers”.

 

Anastasia Nani
07/12/2016




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