NABU detectives notify 7 individuals of suspicion in Wall project thievery
Detectives from the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) have issued suspicion notices to seven individuals involved in embezzling funds earmarked for the project to build a wall on the country's border with Russia, also known as the Wall project.
"NABU detectives on August 9 together with agents from Ukraine's Specialized Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) served notices of suspicion to seven individuals detained earlier during the investigation of the criminal case involving embezzlement of government budget funds for the Wall project. The funds earmarked for territories adjacent to regions adjacent to Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) zone and occupied Crimea," NABU's press service said on its Facebook page on Wednesday evening.
Officials belonging to Ukraine's State Border Guard Service are suspected of committing criminal acts, which caused considerable losses to the state. NABU said the head of directorate of construction for the border service is suspected of committing crimes pursuant to Part 5 of Article 191, Part 3 of Article 27, and Part 2 of Article 210 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. In addition, the senior officer of the first autonomous construction department of the border service is suspected of committing crimes pursuant to Part 5 of Article 191, Part 1 of Article 355 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, and the former head of the first autonomous construction department of the border service of violating Part 5 of Article 191, Part 1 of Article 366, and Part 2 of Article 201 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Among the suspects are heads of state-owned and private firms taking part in the Wall project, including the director of AZU Ltd. and director of the state-owned Chernihovsky oblavtodor [regional road construction company] Automobile Roads of Ukraine.
NABU said the detained individuals are currently being held in pretrial confinement facilities. NABU detectives are preparing motions for hearings at Kyiv's Solomiansky District Court, which will determine pretrial confinement and/or bail amounts.
