State enforcement officer in Odesa region falsified data on fines for bribery

In Odesa region, a former chief state enforcement officer was found guilty of forgery and interference with the automated system of debtors. As a result, debtors avoided paying fines and restrictions.

This was reported by the Center for Public Investigations.

In Odesa region, the court found the former chief state enforcement officer guilty of unauthorized interference with the automated system of enforcement proceedings and forgery of official documents. As a result of his actions, information on unpaid fines worth tens of thousands of hryvnias disappeared from the Unified Register of Debtors.

The court found that the official, having official access to the system, entered false information about the alleged full payment of two fines of UAH 17,000 each without legal grounds. There was no evidence of the receipt of funds to the state budget. Nevertheless, he drafted and electronically signed resolutions on the termination of enforcement proceedings. After these changes were made, the debtor was removed from the Unified Register of Debtors, and the restrictions imposed, including the seizure of property, were canceled.

In court, the defendant pleaded not guilty and claimed that he had allegedly received receipts for payment of fines but had not entered them into the system due to his workload. At the same time, the victim stated that he had not paid any fines. His testimony was confirmed by data on the absence of any payments to the relevant budget accounts.

During the search of the office of the already dismissed official, law enforcement officers seized over USD 8.5 thousand and almost UAH 330 thousand. Some of the bills matched the numbers of money that appeared in the investigation materials.

The court found the man guilty and fined him UAH 68 thousand. He was also banned for two years from holding positions in state authorities, local governments and institutions providing public services.

Also in February, the head of a farm was seized of his land in Odesa region. The case involves forging documents about the loss of crops in order to receive compensation from the state.

Анна Літман