Deputy of City Council in Zhytomyr region together with gang kidnapped people and "knocked out" money from them, - SSU. PHOTOS
In Zhytomyr region, a city council member, who was involved in racketeering in the region, was detained. More than 30 families, in particular, a soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, suffered from the hands of racketeers.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to the SSU press service.
Thus, a deputy of the Korostyshiv City Council was a member of a powerful criminal organisation in the region.
"The criminals extorted money from people under false pretences, and in case of refusal to pay, kidnapped their victims and took them to specially equipped torture chambers in the city. Law enforcement officers identified more than 30 families who suffered from the hands of racketeers.
Among the victims was an Armed Forces serviceman. The defendants threatened to injure and then to kill his pregnant wife if the soldier did not hand over UAH 190,000," the statement said.
In August and September 2013, law enforcement officers detained ten members of a criminal organisation red-handed, including its leader, the so-called 'lookout' for Korostyshiv.
The involvement of the current deputy of the city council, who previously served as the city's vice mayor, in the criminal group's activities has been established.
"According to the investigation, he, along with other gang members, kidnapped local residents and 'extorted' money from them. It has been established that after numerous tortures of his victims, the defendant forced them to bring "ransom money" to the city council building. In addition, referring to his own "connections" in various state institutions, he "warned" the victims against applying to law enforcement agencies.
SSU officers documented the criminal activity of the MP and detained him," the SSU said.
During the searches in the deputy's home and office, the following were found
- mobile phone, computers and flash drives with evidence of illegal actions;
- draft records of the victims' "debts".
The official was served a notice of suspicion under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
Part. 2, Art. 146 (illegal deprivation of liberty by prior conspiracy by a group of persons, accompanied by physical suffering);
Part. 2, Art. 189 (extortion committed repeatedly and by prior conspiracy by a group of persons, with the threat of violence against the victim's close relatives, restriction of their rights and freedoms).
The issue of choosing a measure of restraint is being decided. The offender faces up to 7 years in prison.
The "lookout" for Korostyshiv, who is currently in a pre-trial detention centre, was served a notice of suspicion of creating and leading a criminal organisation (Part 5 of Article 255 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Other members of the group are also charged with committing grave and especially grave crimes as part of a criminal organisation.
The investigation is ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the crime.
