Restrictive Measure Changed for Serhiy Kuzminykh
The High Anti-Corruption Court has replaced the round-the-clock house arrest for lawmaker Serhiy Kuzminykh with a new set of restrictions: he must wear an electronic ankle bracelet and surrender his passports. A bail of 49,620 hryvnias, posted on May 23, 2022, has been forfeited to the state. The ruling remains in effect until August 29. Kuzminykh is suspected of accepting a 558,000 hryvnia bribe in exchange for awarding contracts on ultrasound systems for hospitals in the Zhytomyr region.
The court partially granted a motion from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), which had requested pre-trial detention without the option of bail. In addition to wearing the electronic bracelet, Kuzminykh is required to appear in court as scheduled, notify authorities of any change in residence, and hand over his foreign passports.
Background of the Case
On June 29, 2022, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) detained the sitting lawmaker on suspicion of accepting an illegal benefit. The charges allege that Kuzminykh received 558,000 hryvnias from a private company representative to secure a win in a tender for ultrasound equipment. The sting operation took place on January 28, 2022, when NABU, SAPO, and the Prosecutor General's Office documented the criminal activity.
On February 2, 2022, Kuzminykh requested a temporary leave from the 'Servant of the People' parliamentary faction. His lawyer has stated that the MP 'did not know about, did not take, and did not open the package.' The defense has not filed a motion regarding the expiration of the statute of limitations.
This development reflects the ongoing anti-corruption efforts in Ukraine, which remain critical amid the fight against graft at all levels of government. The use of electronic monitoring in this case underscores the state's commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in public finances, particularly in high-profile bribery and procurement abuse cases.
The recent ruling regarding Serhiy Kuzminykh underscores the ongoing efforts to combat corruption within Ukraine's political landscape. This case is part of a broader initiative, as evidenced by the recent exposure of a kickback scheme linked to road repairs in Poltava. Such developments highlight the increasing scrutiny on public officials and the measures being taken to ensure accountability. For more details on this significant investigation, you can read about the uncovered corruption in Poltava's infrastructure projects.