Zelensky signs law on plea bargains in corruption cases: why it matters

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a bill (No. 12039) on plea agreements with the investigation on corruption crimes, according to the parliament's website, UNN reports.

Details

"31.10.2024 - returned with the signature of the President of Ukraine," the document's status report reads.

According to the head of the Anti-Corruption Policy Committee, MP Anastasia Radina, the purpose of plea bargaining is "not to make life easier for those involved in corruption cases.

"Agreements with suspects or defendants will give the investigation a tool to expose and bring to justice all organizers and accomplices of the corruption scheme," Radina said.

Рада ухвалила закон про угоди зі слідством: що чекає на співпрацюючих?29.10.24, 14:51

The main provisions are reportedly:

• a plea bargain in corruption crimes is possible under two conditions: compensation for the damage caused and exposure of an accomplice with the obligatory provision of evidence;
• in the case of a plea bargain, the suspect or accused may receive a sentence below the lower limit of the charged article, but not less than 1 year in prison (if the sanction of the article is imprisonment);
• significantly increased the amount of fines as an additional punishment - up to UAH 102 million for a serious crime, up to UAH 204 million for a particularly serious crime;
• in corruption cases, the sanction for which does not exceed 8 years of imprisonment, it is allowed to conclude an agreement with the accused with the imposition of a sentence with probation - under the mandatory condition of exposing accomplices and compensation for the damage/losses caused. At the same time, simultaneous reduction of the sentence and release from punishment with probation is not allowed; 
• the possibility of agreements on the confiscation of the accused's property is provided for;
• All agreements with the investigation are checked for compliance with the public interest and approved (or not) by the court. In grand corruption cases, this is the HACC.

As MP Vitaliy Bezghin noted , this bill is supported by international partners and anti-corruption bodies, and will bring substantial funds to the state budget (if signed by November 1, it will be 4 billion euros).

Україна може не отримати вчасно 4 млрд євро від ЄС через невиконання умов: що відомо23.10.24, 17:29