Kherson police serve notice of suspicion to director of construction company from Odesa

Police investigators in Kherson region have served a notice of suspicion to the director of a private construction firm from Odesa of misappropriating more than UAH 28 million in public funds.

This was reported by the press service of the National Police of Ukraine.

According to the investigation, after receiving information about the involvement of the 62-year-old director of a private construction company in the misappropriation of public funds in particularly large amounts, criminal proceedings were opened. During the investigation, the police found that in the spring of 2021, the Department of Territorial Development of the Kherson Regional State Administration announced a tender for the overhaul and restoration of the Kherson Regional Art Museum named after O.O. Shovkunenko. The building is an architectural and historical monument of local significance.

A private construction company from Odesa won the tender for the work. Therefore, a corresponding agreement was signed between its director and the Department of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, and work began on the site in July 2021. In the second half of December, the director of the construction company provided the customers with a number of certificates of completion and certificates of cost. According to the terms of the contract and the documentation provided by the contractor, more than UAH 32.5 million was paid to the company's account from the state budget and the regional budget.

However, after conducting construction, technical and economic examinations ordered by the police, it turned out that the actual work performed did not correspond to the work specified in the acts provided by the director of the company. Thus, it turned out that the head of the construction company misappropriated almost UAH 28.5 million.

Investigators classified the man's actions under Part 5 of Article 191 "Misappropriation, embezzlement or seizure of property through abuse of office" of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Currently, in coordination with the Kherson District Prosecutor's Office, the offender has been served a notice of suspicion in absentia.

If proven guilty, the man faces imprisonment for a term of seven to twelve years with disqualification to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years and confiscation of property. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.

Кирило Бойко