The High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) has sentenced Serhiy Kuzminykh — an MP from the “Servant of the People” party — to two months of 24-hour house arrest. Earlier today, June 29, NABU detained him because he had not regularly appeared at court hearings for four years, in particular, during the last one he was on a business trip to Spain.
A correspondent for Suspilne reports on the course of the trial.
At the trial, the lawyer stated that the SAPO prosecutorʼs request for detention must be accompanied by permission from the Prosecutor General or an authorized person. The lawyer also stated that Serhiy Kuzminykh "did not know, did not take, did not open the package" containing the bribe, and that he learned about the trial while abroad and did not hide, but reported his absence in advance.
- According to the investigation, in January 2022, Kuzminykh received UAH 558 000 of illegal profit through a proxy — this is 30% of the amount of the contract for the supply of an ultrasound diagnostic system, which Zhytomyr Hospital concluded with a private company. The funds were transferred to influence hospital officials so that they would recognize this particular company as the winner of the tender.
- In addition, investigators claim that Kuzminykh guaranteed that in the future, for the same kickback, he would provide financing and implementation of two more contracts — for the supply of a magnetic resonance imaging system and laparoscopic equipment. The total amount of these contracts is more than UAH 38 million. The MPʼs actions are classified as abuse of influence. He faces a fine or 2 to 5 years in prison.
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