Police officer arrested in Odesa for misappropriation of funds for treatment

A former police officer who allegedly misappropriated funds during fictitious treatment was acquitted in Odesa. The court found that there was insufficient evidence of misappropriation.

This is evidenced by the ruling of the Southern City Court of Odesa Region.

In Odesa, the case against a former patrol police inspector of the Odesa district police department, who was accused of misappropriating funds and using a forged document, has been completed.

According to the investigation, the police officer allegedly did not go to work during the summer and fall of 2021, and in order to receive sick leave pay, he submitted a forged certificate from the City Clinical Hospital No. 11 with a diagnosis of a fractured mandible to the police department. According to the case file, he received UAH 19,676 from the Odesa Oblast Police Department to his PrivatBank account.

During the trial, the defendant denied his guilt, explaining that the jaw fracture did occur, he was treated and underwent surgery in Odesa, and a certificate was issued by a doctor for hospitalization. He claimed that he had not made any changes to the document on his own and was trying to get a proper certificate for his sick leave.

The doctor who signed the certificate confirmed the fact of treatment and the correctness of the diagnosis, but did not set a date for the end of inpatient treatment. The defendant's lawyer emphasized that there was no evidence of intentional misappropriation of funds.

The court ruled to find the former police officer not guilty on charges of misappropriation of another's property due to lack of evidence of a crime and closed the criminal proceedings. Earlier, in March 2026, the court also released him from liability for using a forged document due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.

The convicted man was explained his right to compensation for damage caused by the unlawful actions of the pre-trial investigation and court. The hospital certificate remained a material evidence in the case file. The procedural costs of UAH 15,000 were charged to the state, and the civil claim of the National Police for compensation of UAH 19,676 was left without consideration.

Also in February, the court closed the case against four defendants accused of misappropriating budget funds allocated as social assistance to low-income families. The reason for this was the expiration of the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution.

Анна Бальчінос