Ex-head of village in Kherson region embezzled half a million budget funds

The Beryslav District Prosecutor's Office secured a guilty verdict for the former acting village head of a community in Kherson region. The court found the official guilty of embezzlement of other people's property through abuse of office committed on a large scale (Part 4 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

This was reported by the Kherson Regional Prosecutor's Office.

The man was sentenced to 5 years in prison with disqualification to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a period of 3 years.

The investigation found that in 2019, the suspect, abusing his right to manage the community's finances , signed an agreement to install a children's, sports, and gymnastics playground. The total cost of the project exceeded UAH 532 thousand. Despite the fact that the work was not actually carried out, the official certified fictitious acceptance certificates, which became the basis for the illegal transfer of funds from the local budget.

The absence of sites and falsification of reports were confirmed by numerous evidences and conclusions of specialized examinations, which formed the basis of the indictment. During the court hearing, the defendant cooperated with the investigation and entered into a plea agreement, as well as fully compensated for the damages caused to the community. Taking these circumstances into account, the court sentenced him to 5 years in prison, suspended for 3 years.

In addition to the suspended sentence, the convict is banned from holding any managerial or administrative positions in state and local government for three years. The verdict has not yet entered into final legal force, as the statutory period for filing an appeal by the parties to the proceedings is still ongoing.

Катерина Глушко