Putin accuses police of corruption following beat up cop scandal

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the Moscow police of corruption and negligence after a city police officer was beaten up by a suspect at a market while his colleagues stood by and watched, the local media reported, August 1.

“Are they such cowards, or what?” Putin mused, according to Russian news portal rt.com. “It is possible, but highly unlikely. Rather, by their inaction, [the police] are paying off ‘30 pieces of silver’ they received from these vendors. This is clear to everyone, and everyone knows it.”

The scandal hit the media after a film showing a police officer being beaten up by immigrants, following an unsuccessful attempt to arrest a man suspected of raping a minor, was released. The incident was followed by a huge police operation, which saw the arrest of some 1,000 immigrants, in a bid to rid Moscow’s markets of suspected criminals.

An official inquiry has been launched into alleged illegal activity between market vendors and the police.