Deputy Energy Minister Helio was detained in Kyiv on $500,000 bribe - SSU and NABU. VIDEO&PHOTOS
The NABU and SAPO, together with the SSU and the Kyiv Region Prosecutor's Office, exposed the current Deputy Minister of Energy and three of his accomplices on receiving an undue benefit for granting permission to export mining equipment from the frontline area.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to the press service of the SSU and NABU.
Scheme of the transaction
For this amount, the official, using his powers, promised the heads of state-owned enterprises in the Lviv-Volyn coal basin to freely transfer mining equipment from the mines of the frontline Donetsk region for use.
"It is a unique and scarce equipment of a state-owned coal company located in the hottest area of the eastern front - Pokrovsk," the SSU said.
The official involved three accomplices
In the spring of this year, representatives of the industry approached the Deputy Minister of Energy to obtain permission to evacuate equipment from the war zone and use it at mines in the western region. However, the official, who was responsible for the safety of mining equipment, demanded money for its removal.
He involved three accomplices in the illegal activity: a private energy trader, the head of an energy company from Mykolaiv region and the head of a mining company from Donetsk region. It was from this mining plant that the evacuation of equipment was to begin after the organiser of the deal received part of the bribe.
The transfer of the illegal benefit took place through the involved accomplices. However, this did not help the criminals.
As a result, law enforcement officers detained the Energy Ministry official and three of his accomplices red-handed after receiving part of the bribe.
Suspicions of bribe-takers
All four detainees were served a notice of suspicion under Part 4 of Art. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (acceptance of an offer, promise or receipt of an unlawful benefit by an official).
The issue of choosing a preventive measure is being decided.
The investigation is ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the crime and bring the perpetrators to justice. The offenders face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.
It should be noted that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine appointed Oleksandr Hale as Deputy Minister of Energy on 6 September 2023.
