BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

25/06/2008

Suspended term for Belarus cops over roadblock smash

MINSK, June 25 (RIA Novosti) - A Minsk court handed two Belarusian traffic officers suspended sentences after they organized a make-shift roadblock using civilian cars to stop a speeding drunk driver on a highway, a court said Wednesday.

The controversial police tactics left several people injured, when a Volkswagen being driven at 112 mph (180 km/h) rammed into the vehicles lined up across the Minsk highway. The police officers failed to give the car drivers and passengers, which included a three-year-old girl, any warning of the impending smash.

The incident caused a public outcry and criminal proceedings were launched against the officers, who were charged with abuse of office and misconduct. The drunk driver has yet to be found.

The court also ruled that the officers pay compensation to the car owners, whose vehicles were damaged in the collision. Most of the victims will receive $500-1,000, while the owner of a BMW, which was most damaged, will receive $9,000.

The prosecution, however, called the ruling "too lenient."

"It is necessary that the traffic police officers, who put the lives of innocent people in danger, receive prison terms, however, maybe, for a shorter period of time," said prosecuting lawyer Vera Stremkovskaya.

The victims are also unhappy with the sentence. The search for the drunk driver is still underway.

Source:

http://en.rian.ru/world/20080625/112095353.html

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