Odesa Official Arrested for Demanding ₴242,240 Bribe for Permits

Police detained an official of the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning of one of the city councils in Odesa region.

This was reported by the press service of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Odesa region.

According to investigators, she demanded a "kickback" from an entrepreneur for issuing permits for retail food trade in the market. The official was served a notice of suspicion and a measure of restraint was chosen. She faces imprisonment, deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities and confiscation of property.

Law enforcement officers found that when the entrepreneur turned to the acting head of the Department of Architecture and Urban Development for permits to sell food from a stall at the market, she demanded that she pay $2,500. In case of disagreement, she threatened to withhold the permit for the installation of a trading place and close the business.

The police procedurally detained the offender immediately after she received the agreed bribe and seized the money.

Investigators served the suspect with a notice of suspicion of receiving an undue advantage by an official, for committing actions in the interests of the person providing the undue advantage, using the official position, combined with extortion of undue advantage. According to the sanction of Article 368(3) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, this crime is punishable by imprisonment for up to ten years with disqualification to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years, with confiscation of property.

The court imposed on the suspect a custodial measure of restraint with the right to be released on bail in the amount of UAH 242,240.

Кирило Бойко