NABU and SAP in cooperation with SBU exposed the scheme of appropriation of state funds in the amount of UAH 10 million, related to the purchase of services for the modernization of the hardware and software complex of the apparatus of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.
Among the participants in the case are the former state secretary of the Ministry of Justice, the current heads of the ministry’s departments, as well as the beneficial owner and two representatives of the management of one of the limited liability companies.
According to the investigation, the plan for the organization of the criminal scheme was developed by the beneficiary of the LLC. According to it, officials of the Ministry of Justice initiated changes to the budget estimate for 2021 in order to purchase services for the modernization of the agricultural sector. After that, company representatives prepared a technical task, which deliberately included requirements that corresponded only to their equipment. This made it possible to eliminate potential competitors at the tender stage.
In order to inflate the price of the services, it was arranged to send requests for commercial proposals to several pre-selected companies that provided agreed responses. This became the basis for announcing the tender. In order to create the appearance of competition, another company was formally involved in the participation, whose offer was later recognized as less profitable than the one received from the controlled LLC.
As a result, the Ministry of Justice concluded a contract with this company, receiving services at a significantly inflated cost. Losses to the state budget exceeded 10 million hryvnias. The actions of the suspects are classified under Part 5 of Art. 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. In addition, the head of the Department of the Ministry of Justice was additionally charged with a violation provided for in Part 1 of Article 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
