Deputy Head of the Rivne Regional Council is accused of bribery amounting to half a million hryvnias

Deputy Head of the Rivne Regional Council is accused of bribery amounting to half a million hryvnias

In the Rivne region, the deputy head of the Rivne Regional Council has been put on trial, accused of receiving a bribe from a private entrepreneur in the amount of half a million hryvnias. The case concerns a land plot and property that were once under communal ownership.

The incident occurred at the end of 2021, when the entrepreneur purchased a non-operational children’s sanatorium at an electronic auction. However, upon learning about the buyer’s intentions to acquire not only the building itself but also the material assets of the sanatorium and the land beneath it, the deputy head of the regional council offered his assistance.

According to the prosecutor’s office of the Rivne region, the official promised assistance in issues related to the write-off of the sanatorium’s property and the adoption of a decision by the deputies of the Rivne Regional Council regarding the sale of a land plot measuring 5.4 hectares. All these actions were to be accompanied by the condition of receiving a bribe from the entrepreneur.

The evidence of the violation included audio and video recordings, as well as testimonies from individuals confirming the transfer of money. After the transfer of a bribe amounting to 500 thousand hryvnias, the deputy head of the regional council was detained by law enforcement officers.

Currently, the prosecutor’s office has completed the pre-trial investigation and forwarded the case to the court. The deputy head of the regional council has been charged with articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine that provide for punishment for receiving a bribe in particularly large amounts.

According to Ukrainian legislation, committing this crime is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 5 to 10 years with confiscation of property.

It is important to note that this case has become part of the fight against corruption in local government bodies and demonstrates the seriousness of the fight against bribery at all levels. The case has gained wide resonance in society, as it shows how officials, abusing their official positions, can violate the law for personal gain.

The trial of the accused is expected to commence shortly.