The head and a deputy of the Verkhovynska village council have been detained for receiving an unlawful demand in a large amount by a group of individuals in collusion (Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The investigation has established that the village head, together with a deputy of the same council, leased a land plot to a private individual for the further placement of a temporary structure for 8,000 USD, despite knowing that there was a ban on such placement during the period of martial law.

To implement their plan, the individuals approved at a session of the village council the project documentation for which permission had allegedly already been granted to the individual, the agreement for leasing the aforementioned land plot to a local resident, as well as the subsequent decision of the executive committee of the village council to place a temporary structure for conducting business activities.

After that, a sublease agreement was supposed to be concluded with the entrepreneur, which would allow circumventing the established ban.

At the same time, the village head did not inform the village council and the members of the executive committee about the impossibility of making the relevant decisions, but on the contrary, assured them that there were no reservations.

Both accomplices have been detained in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.

Currently, it is planned to serve a notice of suspicion and protocols for committing offenses related to corruption (Parts 1, 2 of Article 172-7 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses) regarding the issuance of orders for bonuses to close individuals in conditions of a real conflict of interest.

The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by the Investigative Department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Ivano-Frankivsk region, with operational support from the Criminal Investigation Department in Ivano-Frankivsk region and the Security Service of Ukraine in Ivano-Frankivsk region.

Note: According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a guilty verdict of the court.