Ex-member of a public organization was selling IDs

Law enforcement officers in Odesa have detained a former representative of one of the city's public organizations on suspicion of influence peddling.

According to the press service of the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office, the suspect set up a scheme to illegally earn money from conscripts who wanted to get reservations from mobilization.

The price of the issue ranged from 600 to 1 thousand dollars in remuneration. In exchange for this money, he promised to issue a certificate of an employee of a public association whose members have a reservation from mobilization, the ability to move freely around the city and avoid checks of military records.

In the event of force majeure, the suspect promised to use his connections to resolve issues with law enforcement officers and district territorial centers for recruitment and social support, which ensure law and order at checkpoints in Odesa.

Law enforcement officers documented two transactions of the offender, which cost $600 and $700. He was detained after receiving a bribe from a second client.

Earlier, the Kyiv District Court of Odesa approved a plea agreement between the prosecutor and an inspector of the Varta Pivdenia public security formation, who was accused of complicity in the sale of the formation's ID card. The convict conspired with an official of the public organization and offered a citizen to buy a Varta Pivdennya employee ID for 2 thousand dollars. In addition to movement during the curfew, such a certificate would guarantee the buyer the opportunity to avoid conscription into the Armed Forces of Ukraine during martial law.

Earlier, the Center for Public Investigations released an investigative film "Guarding the Odesa Cauldron," in which journalists investigated that there are 36 civilian groups in Odesa Oblast that cooperate with the police. It turned out that many of the groups were essentially inactive. It is unclear why they were registered. It is also doubtful that the members of these groups are patrolling the settlements. A number of groups are de facto security companies that receive budget contracts.

The Center for Public Investigations also separately investigated the activities of two civil society groups that cooperate with the police in Odesa, allegedly to strengthen security and public order measures in the city. The two organizations, the Alfa Plus and PSPO, became known after being at the epicenter of various scandals, the CPI explained their choice.

Кирило Бойко