The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) have completed the pretrial investigation in the so-called backpack case.

"Detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, under the procedural management of prosecutors from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, have informed suspects in embezzlement of funds for the purchase of backpacks for the needs of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry and their defense lawyers about the completion of the pretrial investigation. On April 4, 2018, criminal investigation materials were opened to them for familiarization," the NABU's press service reported on April 5.

After familiarizing with the materials of the case, an indictment will be drawn up and then sent to court.

According to the NABU, the suspects in a crime that caused UAH 14.5 million worth of damage to the state budget are a former deputy interior minister (Part 5, Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - misappropriation, embezzlement or possession of property through abuse of office); a representative of the firm that won the tender, who, according to NABU detectives, using fake documents, ensured participation in the negotiation procurement procedure and the victory of a fictitious company and also organized the production of low-quality backpacks for delivery to the Interior Ministry (Part 5, Article 27, Part 5, Article 191 and Part, Article 358 - forgery of documents); as well as a private person who, in the opinion of the investigation, prompted the deputy interior minister to organize the negotiation procedure so that his associate's firm could be declared the winner of the tender (Part 4, Article 27, Part 5, Article 191 of the Criminal Code).

According to investigators, in 2015, the suspects organized the purchase of backpacks for the Interior Ministry without any need, at a price much higher than the average market price. The goods were not delivered on time and did not meet the requirements established by the Interior Ministry, which was confirmed by the conclusions of a merchandising examination. NABU detectives established that the winning firm, which was supposed to deliver 5,000 rucksacks under the terms of purchase in the spring of 2015 and which conducted no economic activity in 2014, did not have either equipment or workers. In the future, the funds it received on its accounts from the Interior Ministry were converted into cash through a number of fictitious enterprises.

In October 2017, three of the abovenamed persons were detained, and they were informed of suspicion in embezzlement of budgetary funds.

The NABU said that in relation to four more persons convicted of organizing the corrupt scheme there were already final court decisions following the consideration of the cases on the merits and that episodes with their participation had been put into separate criminal proceedings, the investigation of which had been completed.

In particular, the investigation found that the director of the winning bidder, citizen K., agreed to become a formal head of the company for money and transferred all the documents related to this company to the organizers of the so-called "money laundering center" to cover up illegal activities. In the future, on behalf of the director of the winning company, an employee of the "money laundering center" forged documents that were used to participate in the tender for the purchase of backpacks.

Citizen K. and two others were informed of suspicion in a criminal offense under Part 1, Article 205 of the Criminal Code (fictitious entrepreneurship). In December 2016, the director of the winning firm and other persons were found guilty of committing the criminal offense under this article and were released from criminal liability in connection with the expiry of the limitation period.

Meanwhile, an employee of the "money laundering center," citizen I., who forged the documents, was notified of the suspicion in committing a criminal offense under Part 3, Article 358 of the Criminal Code (forgery of documents).

"Taking into account sincere repentance and active assistance in the disclosure of the crime, an agreement was concluded between a SAPO prosecutor and citizen I. In December 2017, the Moskovsky District Court of Kharkiv issued a ruling convicting citizen I. of the offense, he was sentenced to one year of imprisonment and, on the basis of Article 75 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, he was released from serving his sentence with a one-year suspended sentence," the NABU said.

As reported, the NABU is investigating the criminal proceeding about embezzling more than UAH 14 million for the purchase of backpacks for the needs of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry in late 2014 - early 2015. Detectives find out the circumstances associated with the forgery of warehouse documents for the delivered backpacks.

Two individuals detained on October 31 as part of the investigation into the so-called 'backpack case' were notified on the same day of suspicion of committing a crime under Part 5, Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (appropriation, embezzlement or taking possession of property through abuse of power). These two are former Deputy Interior Minister Serhiy Chebotar and Oleksandr Avakov, the son of Interior Minister Arsen Avakov.

Later NABU detectives notified the third detainee of suspicion in committing a crime during the purchase of backpacks for the Interior Ministry in late 2014 and early 2015. Bloc of Petro Poroshenko MP Serhiy Leschenko said earlier, referring to his own sources, that NABU detectives had detained in Kharkiv head of IT firm Turboseo Volodymyr Lytvyn, who also runs a company that had to produce a batch of backpacks for the Interior Ministry.

On November 1, Solomiansky District Court of Kyiv chose for Oleksandr Avakov and two other defendants of the 'backpacks case' the measure of restraint in the form of a personal obligation.