Former Vinnytsia police Head Shevtsov’s case on high treason dismissed: "No elements of crime found"

Vinnytsia region prosecutor's office confirmed that no crime had been committed by the ill-famed ex-Head of the Vinnytsia police Anton Shevtsov.

May 19, the investigator of the Security Service Directorate in the Vinnytsia region, who was inquiring into the case of the ex-Head of the Vinnytsia police Anton Shevtsov, was informed on suspension of criminal proceedings by the regional prosecutor's office, Vinnytsia Directorate of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) press office told Depo.ua, Censor.NET reports.

According to the SBU press service, the two-month period envisaged for the agency's completion of the pretrial investigation has expired Tuesday, May 17. Therefore, Shevtsov's case was referred to the prosecutor's office.

"We submitted the case files to the regional prosecutor's office May 17 in order to adopt a procedural decision. The investigator inquiring into the case of Shevtsov was informed of dismissal of the criminal proceedings filed against Anton Shevtsov on suspicion of high treason May 19," the SBU Directorate in Vinnytsia region press-secretary Iryna Yermolova said.

Earlier this week, Vinnytsia region SBU Head Ihor Shkurat reported that Anton Shevtsov' case was referred to the prosecutor's office. He also noted that 70 witnesses were interviewed and two expert examinations were conducted in the case on treason. The suspect himself was also interrogated. However, neither the SBU inquiry nor the internal investigation conducted by the Interior Ministry found any violations.

"This is despite the fact that the Security Service was convinced less than a month ago that the former Vinnytsia police head was involved in subversive activities against Ukraine. The SBU officials declared Shevtsov's links with the members of the Russian Federal Security Service in occupied Crimea," the news outlet notes.

May 19, the press service of the Vinnytsia region prosecutor's office reported that the criminal proceedings over high treason were dismissed due to the absence of the evidence of a criminal offense. The regional prosecutor's office has scheduled a briefing for May 20 during which the agency has promised to explain why Ukraine's law enforcement system was unable to bring persons involved in such high-profile cases to justice.