Prosecutors of the Lviv Regional Prosecutor’s Office have completed a pre-trial investigation and sent an indictment to court against two citizens. They are charged with obtaining an unlawful benefit for themselves or a third party for influencing the decision-making of a person authorised to perform state functions, combined with extortion of such benefit, committed by a group of persons (Part 2 of Article 28, Part 3 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
The investigation established that the defendants, while holding the positions of operative and inspector of one of the district police departments of the Main Police Department of Lviv region, demanded and received an illegal benefit from a local resident.
In return for USD 4,000, the law enforcement officers promised to “resolve the issue” with the closure of criminal proceedings, as well as the lifting of the arrest and return of the seized property.
The case in question is a criminal proceeding opened over illegal logging (Article 246 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). As part of the proceedings, the vehicle and timber products were seized.
One of the defendants has now been dismissed from the law enforcement agency.
The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by the State Bureau of Investigation in Lviv, with the operational support of the SBU Office in Lviv region.
Note: In accordance with Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person shall be presumed innocent of committing a crime and shall not be subjected to criminal punishment until his or her guilt is proved in accordance with the law and established by a court verdict of guilty.
Information Policy Department
of the Lviv Regional Prosecutor’s Office
