Monday, March 11, head of the Specialized anti-corruption Prosecutor’s office (SAP) Nazar Golodnitsky reported about suspicion to the Odessa mayor Gennady Trukhanov in declaring false information on their income and expenditure, reports “Interfax-Ukraine”.
According to the Agency, at the end of February 2019, the constitutional court of Ukraine (CCU) on representation of 59 people’s deputies of Ukraine declared unconstitutional the article 368-2 of the criminal code of Ukraine concerning the illegal enrichment as its provisions are not in conformity with the principles of the rule of law and the presumption of innocence.
In turn, the National anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) said that the decision of the constitutional court declared unconstitutional articles of the criminal code on illicit enrichment will cause the closure of all investigations under this article of criminal proceedings, to resume investigations in the future will be impossible.
Then on March 6, the NAB announced the closure of criminal proceedings on the fact of illegal enrichment Trukhanov. The Bureau recalled that the mayor of Odessa already is accused in misappropriation of 185 million UAH of the city budget, the relevant case is being heard in Malinovsky district court of Odessa.
“The decision of the COP on the recognition of unconstitutional article 368-2 for this trial is not relevant, because officials charged with corruption in another article – part 5 article 191 of the criminal code of Ukraine. NABU detectives also continue to investigate other possible facts of illegal activity of the head of the Odessa city hall”, – stated in the message.
As reported, in September 2016 the Odessa city Council purchased the building, formerly part of the integral property complex of state enterprise “Plant “region”, over 185 million UAH. The company bought from private structure, which in early 2016 paid for this complex at auction, organized by the liquidator of the company 11.5 million UAH.
Obtained from city hall 185 million UAH, the firm-seller tried to list companies with signs of fictitiousness. However, the detectives NAB and prosecutors SAP has prevented this attempt and has achieved arrest of accounts of the company-the seller of the building.
14 Feb 2018 Gennady Trukhanov and his Deputy, Paul Vogelman was detained at the airport “Borispol”.
The results of the investigation were notified of the suspicion and several officials of the Odessa city Council, the leaders and founders of some companies under part 5 of article 191 of the criminal code (“Appropriation of funds by abuse of official position”), part 2 of article 205 (“Fictitious business”), part 3 of article 209 (“legalization of the incomes received by a criminal way”).
16 Feb Solomensky regional court of Kiev didn’t satisfy the petition of anti-corruption authorities about the arrest of Trukhanov with the alternative of 50 million and released him on bail of MP Dmitry Golubov (fraction of PPB).
In March, the Solomensky district court of Kiev has resumed the arrest of 185 million, that was paid from the city budget of Odessa for the building of JSC HC “region”, and made the decision on their transfer in the management of ARMA.
May 31, detectives NABOO opened the materials of pre-trial investigation for review 8 a suspect in the case and their defenders.
In October, SAP has transferred in court the indictment concerning Trukhanov and other officials of the Odessa city Council in the case of the plant “region”.