Pre-trial measure being chosen for former Ukrenergo head Kudrytskyi (updated). VIDEO&PHOTOS
The Pecherskyi District Court of Kyiv has begun a hearing on the selection of a preventive measure for former Ukrenergo head Volodymyr Kudrytskyi.
This was reported by a Censor.NET correspondent.
The presiding judge is Kristina Konstantinova. The defense asked the judge to release Volodymyr Kudrytskyi from the detention box, but the request was denied. The escort service stated it could not ensure proper supervision otherwise, so the suspect will remain in the box.
The prosecutor is requesting a preventive measure in the form of detention with the option of posting bail set at 13.7 million hryvnias. According to the prosecution, the suspect may attempt to evade investigation or influence witnesses. In addition, he has three minor children and the ability to cross the border.
Kudrytskyi’s lawyer considers the suspicion unfounded. According to him, the case file contains no evidence of Kudrytskyi’s involvement in the alleged offense. There is no such evidence in any document, neither in expert reports nor in the materials of covert investigative actions.
A number of members of parliament attended the hearing, including Inna Sovsun and Yaroslav Zhelezniak from the Holos faction. Both said they would act as sureties for Kudrytskyi if allowed. Also present in the courtroom were Anastasia Radina and Andrii Herus from Servant of the People.
"As for the pre-trial measure and the risks cited by the prosecution, regarding concealment or evasion, my family and I went to Truskavets for vacation, that’s the kind of ‘concealment’ we’re talking about. This case has been going on for seven years, and yesterday’s search was not the first investigative action in it. Over these seven years, there hasn’t been a single fact indicating that I tried to evade, obstruct the investigation, or interfere in any way.
I am a person with an impeccable professional reputation in the energy sector, and I am the one most interested in having the court objectively assess the baselessness of this suspicion and establish the truth. Because my reputation depends on the court. I have no intention of evading justice, fleeing, obstructing the investigation, or destroying evidence," Kudrytskyi said in court.
Kudrytskyi's case
As a reminder, on the morning of October 21, officers of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) searched the home of former Ukrenergo head Volodymyr Kudrytskyi.
According to media reports, investigators are examining possible overstatements of logging volumes and contractor costs during the construction of power transmission lines.
On October 28, the SBI detained former Ukrenergo CEO Volodymyr Kudrytskyi on suspicion of fraudulently embezzling funds from the state enterprise NEC Ukrenergo.
The case concerns the alleged embezzlement of state company funds during tenders for the reconstruction of power system facilities back in 2018. Businessman Ihor Hrynkevych, who is currently in pre-trial detention, has already been notified of suspicion in the same case.
What does the investigation say?
According to the SBI, Hrynkevych organized a fraudulent scheme to embezzle funds from NEC Ukrenergo during tenders for the reconstruction of external fencing at substations in the Southern and Western power systems.
At that time, Kudrytskyi held the position of deputy director for investments at Ukrenergo and allegedly conspired with representatives of a private company that participated in the procurement.
"As a result of the tenders, two contracts were signed between the parties for a total amount exceeding UAH 68 million. The state enterprise then transferred more than UAH 13.7 million in advance payments to the contractor, which the perpetrators misappropriated without any intention of fulfilling their contractual obligations," the statement said.
