Head of village council in Odesa region accused of conspiracy to seize budget funds

Investigators have sent to court the cases of the head of a rural community and an entrepreneur who are accused of misappropriating budget funds allocated for the repair of a cultural center.

This was reported by the press service of the Main Department of the National Police in Odesa Oblast.

According to the investigation, in 2018, the then-head of one of the village councils of Bolhrad district entered into an agreement with the director of a local enterprise specializing in construction work. The head of the community ensured that the entrepreneur won the tender, and entrusted technical supervision and control over the quality and scope of work to a representative of another company, whose director is a close associate of the contractor, a day before signing the certificate of acceptance of the completed construction work.

They then falsified official documents, stating that they had completed the construction work in full, which in fact had not been completed. The full amount of almost UAH 700 thousand was transferred to the construction company's account, which was actually overstated by almost UAH 500 thousand.

Based on the evidence collected, investigators notified the defendants of suspicion, depending on the criminal acts they committed:

• The head of the village council: under Part 4 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - embezzlement of other people's property on a large scale by abuse of office by an official, by prior conspiracy by a group of persons, Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code - entering false information into official documents by an official by prior conspiracy by a group of persons, Part 1 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code - drawing up and issuing false official documents by an official.
• The contractor: under Part 4 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - misappropriation of another's property on a large scale by abuse of office by an official, by prior conspiracy of a group of persons, Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - preparation and submission of knowingly false information to official documents by an official by prior conspiracy of a group of persons.
• Technical supervision engineer: under Part 5 of Art. 27, Part 1 of Art. 366 of the CCU - aiding and abetting by a person who, by providing means, removing obstacles, facilitated the commission of a criminal offense by another accomplice, in the preparation by an official of knowingly false official documents, Part 5 of Art. 27, Part 4 of Art. 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - aiding and abetting by a person who, by providing means or removing obstacles, facilitated the commission of a criminal offense by another accomplice to seize another's property, by abuse of office committed on a large scale.

The offenders face imprisonment for a term of five to eight years with disqualification to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years.