““For those who refused to pay, he threatened to create artificial obstacles in the service in the form of identifying non-existent deficiencies in work, groundless transfer to other units, combat zones””, — write: www.radiosvoboda.org
According to the investigators, “the head of the military unit demanded from subordinates 30% of additional cash payments for the performance of combat missions. He motivated his demands allegedly by the needs of the military unit, in particular for the repair of equipment.”
“For those who refused to pay, he threatened to create artificial obstacles in the service in the form of identifying non-existent deficiencies in work, unjustified transfer to other units, combat zones,” – said law enforcement officers.
The police say that “this way, from June to December last year, the commander received more than 400,000 hryvnias from the staff. He was detained while receiving the “tribute” for December in the amount of 41,000 hryvnias.”
“During his detention, authorized searches were conducted in his car and at his place of residence. Illegal extortion, mobile phones and bank cards were seized. According to the current legislation, the offender faces 10 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property,” the law enforcement officers concluded.
So far, the commander of the military unit himself has not commented on the police report.
Earlier, the Security Service of Ukraine and NABU reported that “as a result of comprehensive measures, the deputy head of the Ministry of Energy was detained in Kyiv for a bribe of half a million dollars.”
According to the investigation, “for this amount, the official, using his powers, promised the heads of state-owned enterprises of the Lviv-Volyn coal basin to freely transfer mining equipment from the mines of the front-line region of Donetsk region into use.”
In fact, it was about the evacuation of unique equipment from the combat zone. In the spring of this year, representatives of the industry turned to the then Deputy Minister of Energy to obtain permission for the evacuation. However, the exhibitor, whose duties included the preservation of the mining equipment, began to demand money for its removal, the law enforcement officers note.
The Ministry of Energy, after reporting on the exposure of the deputy minister for bribery, submitted a request to the Cabinet of Ministers for the dismissal of Oleksandr Hale. The government has accepted the submission today.
On August 12, the High Anti-Corruption Court took Oleksandr Hale into custody. Also, an alternative of 25 million hryvnias of bail was determined for the official.
Oleksandr Hailo himself did not publicly comment on suspicion of bribery.