Penza, 10 December 2013. PenzaNews. Alexei Agafilov, accused of committing fraud on a large scale and being under house arrest since August 2013, resigned as the head of housing and communal services of Penza of his own free will. Officially, he left the post on December 1; however, the public became aware of this only on Tuesday, December 10.

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“He [Alexei Agafilov] made this statement through his lawyer,” the press service of the city administration told news agency “PenzaNews.”

The mayor’s office also commented on the decision of the head of housing and communal services of Penza to leave the post.

“Being an experienced and reputable leader, Alexei Valerievich [Agafilov] knows that one can effectively manage such many-sided system as the sphere of housing and communal services only being at workplace and taking part in solution of communal problems, which require clear, swift and smart actions. Being a professional dedicated to the work and knowing all the nuances of the housing and communal services sphere, Alexei Agafilov understands that at present he has no opportunity to perform the work, and thus he made the decision to resign as the head of housing and communal services of Penza,” the city administration said.

As news agency PenzaNews reported earlier, the head of city housing and communal services of Penza Alexei Agafilov is accused of committing fraud on a large scale, in particular, manipulations with the land plot belonging to the city. A criminal case was initiated against him under Part 1, Art. 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation “Fraud.”