A court in Odesa granted access to documents regarding the covert leasing of state-owned land

A court in the Odesa region has authorized investigators to seize documents in a case involving abuse of office by officials at a state educational institution. Law enforcement agencies are investigating the illegal transfer of state-owned land to private companies for their use.

This is stated in a ruling by the Kyiv District Court of Odesa.

According to the investigation, in 2026, it was discovered that state-owned land, which was under the permanent use of a state educational institution, had been transferred to private business entities. This transfer was carried out without proper approval from the authorized agencies. 

On these plots, third-party firms planted and harvested crops without the necessary permits or following public procurement procedures. Law enforcement officials suspect that a hidden land lease agreement was concluded between the educational institution and private individuals under the guise of educational and production cooperation. 

Investigators found that instead of directly leasing the land, the institution’s administration entered into agreements with companies for “services related to harvesting, transporting, and storing the crop.” Law enforcement officials noted that, according to the documents, the institution itself did not sow or grow anything, even though the fields were actively planted with sunflowers and wheat.

Granting the police major’s motion, the court granted the investigative team temporary access to the documents, with the authority to seize certified copies. The ruling will remain in effect for two months, and in the event of noncompliance, the court may grant permission to conduct a search.
 

Юлія Калабайда