"Optimumspetsdetal" case: new indictment sent to court
On April 26, 2021, SAPO Prosecutors filed an indictment to the High Anti-Corruption Court against a person accused of receiving UAH 950,000 of improper advantage for influencing the decision of the General Director of Ukrspetsexport SE. He is one of the eight possible participants in the corruption scheme for the supply of goods of unknown origin to the enterprises of Ukroboronprom State Concern involving Optimumspetsdetal LLC and other business entities.
The actions of the accused fall under Part 2 Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (abuse of influence).
According to the investigation, in 2015-2017, the accused ensured that Optimumspetsdetal LLC received preferences to conclude contracts with Ukroboronprom enterprises. He, as agreed with other participants in the scheme, was to receive 50% of the total amount of illegally obtained income. One of the contracts alone brought him UAH 950 thousand of improper advantage. This was just one of the examples of illegal activity, while the probe into the rest of the facts is still in progress.
NABU has been investigating these facts since November 2019 after the case was transferred to the Bureau from another law enforcement agency.
The accused was notified of suspicion in December 2020. The same month, the case materials were disclosed for review before being sent to court.
The High Anti-Corruption Court ordered that the deadline for reviewing the case materials be April 15, 2020. The accused was summoned to SAPO to obtain a copy of the indictment on April 16. After failing to arrive on the date, he was summoned again on April 20 and 21 which he also ignored. After that, NABU Detectives declared him wanted. On April 26, the accused finally arrived at SAPO, where he was handed a copy of the indictment.
In total, there are eight participants in the corruption scheme involving Optimumspetsdetal LLC. Two of them have been convicted, four others are under trial. Two more participants remain suspects.
The investigation has established that Optimumspetsdetal LLC supplied goods to Ukroboronprom worth about UAH 165 million, while the budget did not receive more than UAH 46 million, of which 25.77 million in value-added tax and 20.63 million in income tax.
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.