Mykolaiv Investigates ₴4M Roof Repair Corruption at Novodesskiy

In Mykolaiv region, law enforcement officers are investigating possible corruption during the repair of the roof of Novodesskiy Lyceum No. 1. The works are worth more than UAH 4 million and may have overstated the volume and cost of materials.

This is evidenced by the ruling of the Novo Odesa District Court.

The repair work was carried out at the request of the Education Department of the Novi Odesa City Council, which announced an open tender on October 13, 2024, for the purchase of works on the overhaul of the roof of the educational institution. The expected cost was over UAH 4.1 million.

According to the certificate of completion signed by the parties on November 29, 2023, the construction was completed. However, during the investigation, suspicions arose that the amount of work performed was overstated, and the cost and quality of the materials used did not match those indicated in the reports.

The documentation indicated that the cost of one square meter of metal tile was 420 hryvnias. The investigators asked the education department for the relevant documents (specifications, certificates, invoices, bills), but received incomplete information.

In order to verify the actual characteristics of the materials, the court allowed the investigators to take samples of metal tiles directly from the roof used during the overhaul of Novodesskiy Lyceum No. 1. This is necessary for the examination to determine whether the material meets the technical specifications, standards and the declared cost.

The decision was made within the framework of criminal proceedings on possible abuse of office under Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The ruling is valid until June 22, 2025. In case of refusal to provide access, the court may authorize a search with the seizure of samples. Thus, Novo Odesa Lyceum No. 1 is at the center of criminal proceedings that may expose the facts of overpricing and mismanagement of budget funds.

Recently, a businesswoman from the Mykolaiv region was accused of negligence for improperly controlling the school's renovation, which resulted in the misappropriation of local budget funds. The court sentenced her to probation for two years and a fine.

In addition, in Mykolaiv region, an official was suspected of embezzling budget funds allocated for the repair of a lyceum shelter. According to the investigation, the Department of Education and Humanitarian Affairs of the Ochakiv City Council entered into a contract with an individual entrepreneur for the repair of the shelter of the Ochakiv Lyceum building. False information was entered into the acts of work performed, overstating the volume and cost of construction materials.

Анна Бальчінос