The former head of one of the district social protection departments in Lviv has for the second time been sentenced to 7 years’ imprisonment with confiscation of property for organising the illegal transfer of a man liable for military service abroad by arranging a fake MSEC certificate. This was reported by the Yavoriv District Prosecutor’s Office.
According to the case file, in the summer of 2022 the ex-official organised a scheme for producing a fake MSEC certificate. For 1,300 US dollars she promised the man liable for military service to arrange a document confirming the award of Group III disability status, which made it possible to leave Ukraine freely during martial law.
The man did not submit any documents and did not undergo a medical board, but the official informed the “client” that the certificate was ready, containing knowingly false information about his state of health. In mid-August 2022, law enforcement officers detained her immediately after she received the entire agreed sum.
In September 2023, the court of first instance sentenced the woman to 7 years in prison with confiscation of property and disqualification from holding positions involving organisational and administrative functions for a period of 2 years under Part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The convicted woman lodged an appeal seeking to have the verdict quashed and to be acquitted, citing the alleged inadmissibility of the evidence. The court of appeal partially upheld the complaint and sent the case back for a retrial. During the new hearing, prosecutors again fully proved the ex-official’s guilt, and the court again imposed the same custodial sentence. The verdict will enter into legal force after the expiry of the time limit for lodging an appeal.