A court case has been initiated against a city council official in Odesa for bribery. The investigation revealed that the official received 10 thousand hryvnias in illegal benefits from the head of an HOA for urban improvement services. The investigation has concluded, and the indictment has been submitted to court.
The illegal activities were uncovered by the Odesa district police in collaboration with the SBU. It was established that a manager of the HOA approached the acting deputy head of the city council with a request for improvement work, to which the official suggested handling the matter through his controlled municipal enterprise without formal contracts, but for a fee.
To expedite the work, including trimming bushes and cleaning debris, the official demanded a “thank you” of 10 thousand hryvnias.
The official was detained immediately after receiving the agreed sum of the bribe, and the money was seized and included as evidence in the criminal proceedings. The court has placed a freeze on the funds.
Upon the investigators' request, the official has been suspended from his position during the pre-trial investigation. The court has imposed a preventive measure in the form of detention with the right to bail set at 242 thousand hryvnias, which he has utilized.
“We have gathered enough evidence to charge the individual with receiving undue benefits in the course of performing his official duties in favor of the person providing the bribe. According to Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, this crime is punishable by imprisonment for up to 10 years and disqualification from holding certain positions for up to three years,” said senior investigator Yuliya Bondarenko.