High Anti-Corruption Court Imposes Detention on Tax Official in Bribery Case
In a significant move reflecting ongoing efforts to combat corruption, the High Anti-Corruption Court has imposed a measure of detention, with an option for bail, on a tax official from the Kharkiv region. The accused has been arrested for allegedly receiving a bribe amounting to 55,000 US dollars.
The court partially granted the request from the prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. According to the court’s ruling, the official can secure her release by posting bail set at 7 million hryvnias.
The tax official is suspected of inciting another civil servant to accept a bribe and demanding illicit benefits for herself. Data from the Anti-Corruption Bureau indicates that she was apprehended while allegedly receiving the aforementioned ransom intended for her superior at the tax service. Interestingly, she had reportedly sought a much larger sum of 150,000 US dollars.
Legal experts assert that her actions are categorized under several articles of the Ukrainian Criminal Code, including provisions related to bribery and solicitation of bribes. The investigation conducted by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office has revealed a troubling pattern of extortion, where the official allegedly solicited funds for her superiors while enriching herself in the process.
The case highlights the persistent challenge of corruption within public service and the ongoing commitment by authorities to address this issue head-on. As the investigation unfolds, it underscores a critical need for transparency and accountability in government roles.
