NABU, SAPO reveal UAH 9.1 million grain purchase scheme
On March 2, 2023, NABU and SAPO served charges on the former heads of the public enterprise "Center for Certification and Examination of Seeds and Planting Material" and its Poltava branch, as well as the beneficiary and the director of two private companies.
The actions of the suspects fall under Part 2 Art. 28, Part 2 Art. 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, while the beneficiary and the director of private companies are additionally charged with abetting under Part 5 Art. 27 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
According to the investigation, at the beginning of 2020, the officials concluded contracts with private companies for the supply of grain yet to be harvested. Subsequently, the suspects deliberately made changes to these contracts, omitting the clause to consider market prices at the time of delivery. As a result, the grain was sold at almost half the market price, which caused a UAH 9.1 million loss to the enterprise.
The operation to reveal the scheme was carried out with the support of the Strategic Investigations Department of the National Police of the Poltava region.
According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is considered not-guilty in the commission of a crime and cannot be subject to criminal punishment until he or she is found guilty by court.