Former Ukrainian Defense Ministry official nabbed over suspected competitive bidding scam

18:30, 24.11.2014 1 min read

Ukraine's office of the chief military prosecutor has arrested a former director of the purchases department of the Defense Ministry on a charge of abuse of office.

The arrest was part of an investigation into suspected manipulations by members of a Defense Ministry competitive bidding committee, the office said in a statement without naming the ex-director.

The office said its investigators had obtained evidence that last month the former director helped an apparently fictitious firm win a contract to supply diesel for the armed forces, including for units involved in the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine.

The contract was valued at UAH 443.298 million.

The suspect is in custody in Kyiv under a November 21 order by the city's Pechersky Court, which also ordered him to pay a deposit of nearly UAH 16 million.