The Security Service of Ukraine, with the assistance of the Ministry of Justice, eliminated a corruption scheme in the Western Interregional Department of the Ministry of Justice, which is the main body for state legal policy in 7 regions in western Ukraine. This was reported by the press service of the SBU, according to UNN.
The defendants systematically received bribes for illegally closing enforcement proceedings against citizens with debt obligations. All participants in the illegal scheme have now been dismissed from their positions,
Details
According to the case, the former head of the interregional structure of the Ministry of Justice, who involved several of his subordinates in the illegal mechanism, was involved in organizing criminal activity. At the time the SBU exposed the corruption scheme, he was the current head of the institution.
In exchange for the illegal benefit, officials of the Ministry of Justice offered debtors to close enforcement proceedings without paying the court-ordered payments. The organizer of the scheme engaged an intermediary, a resident of Ivano-Frankivsk, to transfer the money. Later, the defendants distributed the money among themselves, and the enforcement proceedings were closed with the wording "due to full repayment of the debt.
During searches of the offenders' places of work, residence and vehicles, the law enforcement found them:
- large amounts of cash suspected to have been obtained through criminal means;
- materials of enforcement proceedings, the participants of which were involved in the transaction;
- cell phones with evidence of illegal activity.
Currently, the former head of the Western Interregional Department of the Ministry of Justice has been notified of suspicion under Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (acceptance of an offer, promise or receipt of an unlawful benefit by an official). He was dismissed from his position.
The intermediary's actions are qualified under Part 5 of Article 27, Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (aiding in accepting an offer, promise or obtaining an unlawful benefit by an official).
The issue of choosing a measure of restraint is being decided. The investigation is ongoing to bring to justice all persons involved in the corruption scheme.