Regional council deputy exposed extorting USD 35,000 from a private investor
On Sept.12, 2023, NABU and SAPO, with the operational support of the Strategic Investigations Department in the Volyn region of the National Police, exposed a deputy of the Volyn Regional Council, who solicited and received an undue advantage worth USD 35,000.
As established, the money was extorted from an entrepreneur who wanted to purchase a land plot in one of the territorial communities of the Volyn region with the aim of building a waste disposal factory on it. In exchange for the "reward", the deputy promised to ensure that the city council would make a number of decisions needed to obtain the land plot.
During April-May of this year, the official received a part of undue advantage in the amount of USD 10,000 as an "advance," and after getting the rest, USD 25,000, and exchanging it for EUR to cover his tracks, he was detained pursuant to Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.
The official will shortly be served with charges. Detectives are verifying the involvement of other persons.
The investigation into the above facts was started after entrepreneur's report.
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.
