Accountant from Kherson region suspected of negligence left in office

The Court of Appeal in Kherson region has upheld the appointment of the chief accountant. She is suspected of negligence, but the court rejected the prosecutor's motion for her removal.

This was reported by Anti-Corruption Dimension.

The Court of Appeal allowed Lyubov Volos, chief accountant of the Stanislav village council, to remain in her position, as the investigation suspects her of negligence in procurement, which caused the community losses of more than half a million hryvnias.

According to the investigation, from July to September 2023, Volos, as a public procurement commissioner, committed violations when selecting a supplier without checking the entrepreneur's documents. As a result, the village council purchased goods at inflated prices and with unlawful inclusion of VAT. In December 2024, a contract was concluded based on this tender and funds were transferred.

Expert examinations found that the prices were overstated by UAH 159 thousand, and the VAT by UAH 360 thousand, so the losses amounted to almost UAH 520 thousand.

Prosecutors asked the court to suspend Volos because of the risk of pressure on witnesses and the possibility of repeated violations. They emphasized the legal obligation to remove from office persons who have been notified of suspicion of crimes related to their official activities.

The defense and the suspect herself denied the need for suspension, arguing that Volos did not obstruct the investigation, had a family and had not been convicted before. The lawyer also emphasized that suspension in times of war could paralyze the work of the village council, where staffing shortages are critical.

The court agreed with these arguments and dismissed the prosecutor's appeal. Lyubov Volos continues to hold the position of chief accountant, and the investigation into the case of half a million losses to the community continues.

Also in Kherson region, a technical supervision engineer is suspected of negligence during the repair of a shelter. He formally inspected the work and signed an act that did not correspond to the actual volume and consumption of materials. In June 2023, he entered into a contract with the Civil Protection Department of the Kherson City Council. According to the contract, he was supposed to supervise the repairs, but he did not check them properly and signed an overstated report.

Анна Бальчінос