SSU detains one of the leaders of well-known party who extorted USD 1 mln for solving land issue in Kyiv City State Administration (audio)
The SSU has shut down a criminal scheme in the Kyiv City State Administration. The head of one of the regional branches of a well-known party, who demanded a USD 1 million bribe from a private entrepreneur, has been detained.
For this money, the politician promised to ‘solve the land issue’ that the businessman had with the Kyiv City State Administration.
The party official guaranteed that the entrepreneur would be leased a plot in a recreational part of Kyiv near the Dnipro River, which is owned by the Kyiv community.
According to the investigation, the businessman had previously tried to obtain an official permit from the city’s administration. However, the institution refused the entrepreneur, citing artificially created bureaucratic obstacles.
The head of the private company was then approached by a politician who introduced himself as a lawyer and offered to lease the plot for 25 years in exchange for a USD 1 million bribe.
It was documented that in return for this amount the party representative promised to arrange approval of the land issue in the relevant commission and during meetings of the Kyiv City Council.
The SSU detained the politician-lawyer in Kyiv ‘red-handed’ when he received USD 900,000 of the bribe.
The detainee was notified of suspicion under Article 190.5 of the CCU – large-scale fraud, committed by an organized group, an offence punishable by up to 12 years in prison.
The court is to decide on a measure of restraint. The law enforcement officers have prepared a motion to keep the suspect in custody with an alternative bail of UAH 38 million.
The investigation, in particular searches at the KCSA offices, is ongoing.
The operation was carried out by the SSU Main Office in Kyiv and Kyiv region under the procedural supervision of Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office.
According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of a crime and may not be subject to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in line with the procedure defined by law and established by a relevant court’s verdict.
