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Detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) jointly with prosecutors from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) on January 29 and January 30 notified eight persons that they are suspected of embezzling over Hr 247 million. Among these persons are former officials and officials in office of the state-owned enterprise (SOE) Ukrainian Sea Port Authority.
The NABU said that former head of the Ukrainian Sea Port Authority (2014-2017), former first deputy chairman of the SOE (2015-2017), former head of the procurement department of the SOE (2015-2018), former deputy chairman of the SOE for finances (2015-2016), deputy head of the Odesa branch of the SOE (in office), director of a limited liability company, the beneficiary of the limited liability company and a representative of the nonresident (of the company involved in the crime).
They are suspected of committing the crime under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Misappropriation, embezzlement or conversion or property by malversation committed in respect of an especially gross amount, or by an organized group). Seven suspects were detained on January 29 during raids in Odesa, Mykolaiv regions and Kyiv city.
According to investigators, the officials of the SOE in collusion with individuals in 2015-2016 used a scheme to embezzle funds during public procurement of dredging services at Berdiansk and Mariupol seaports. They made anticompetitive steps to guarantee victory at a tender and set the cost of works too high. The state faced the loss of Hr 247 million, which is proved by the forensic economical examination and other materials of the criminal case.
In September-November 2017, the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine confirmed the fact of anticompetitive steps made by officials of the SOE and representatives of some tender participants. The committee fined them over Hr 100 million.
The investigation was started in December 2015.
In April 2017, the NABU filed a petition to the business court of Kyiv seeking to declare invalid the contract to conduct dredging works at Ukrainian ports for Hr 712 million. The court launched judicial proceedings. |
