Case as of the GPO prosecutor: the pre-trial investigation is completed

The Detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) under the procedural guidance of the prosecutors of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) informed the prosecutor of the Department for Supervision in Criminal Proceedings of the General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine (GPO) on the completion of the pre-trial investigation. The abovementioned prosecutor is suspected of committing a crime as of the facts of receiving 15 thousand USD of improper advantage. On December 20, 2018, the suspect and the defence had been granted with access to criminal proceeding for review.

The investigation revealed that the GPO prosecutor acted as a senior public prosecutor of the group of prosecutors in one of the criminal proceedings, demanded 20 thousand USD for concluding plea bargain agreements with two persons suspected of committing a crime under Part 2 Article 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The agreements stated that the suspects would release on license. If they refuse an «offer», the senior group of prosecutors threatened the suspects with a sentence of imprisonment for a term of 11-12 years.

According to the «offer», 20 thousand USD had to be paid with two tranches to the senior group of prosecutors. The first tranche was in the amount 15 thousand USD (as a prepayment). The rest of funds (5 thousand USD) had to be paid before sending the plea bargain agreements to court.

On October 5, 2018, the prosecutor was exposed on receiving an improper advantage in the amount of 15 thousand USD. On October 6, 2018, he was given a notice of suspicion of committing a crime under Part 4 Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine («Accepting an offer, promise or receiving an improper advantage by an official»).

According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine a person is considered not-guilty in commission of crime and cannot be a subject to criminal punishment, until he or she is found guilty by the court.