A driving test examiner in Kovel was fined for giving hints during a driving test
The Halytskyi District Court of Lviv found Pavlo Kruts, the administrator of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Territorial Service Center No. 0742 in Kovel, guilty of bribery.
The official received a monetary reward for successfully “passing” a practical driving test to obtain a Class B driver’s license.
According to the court’s decision, the offender will pay a fine but avoided having his property confiscated.
According to the case file, in February 2024, while serving as an examiner, Pavlo Kruts received money through an intermediary in exchange for a favorable decision.
A resident of Lviv promised the client a successful exam for 15,000 hryvnias, of which 4,500 hryvnias were intended for the official.
Part of these funds was transferred on February 17 to a bank card, the number of which Krut personally sent via WhatsApp.
During the exam itself, the examiner actively assisted the driver’s license candidate by providing hints regarding driving speed and lane-changing rules.
This fact was thoroughly documented by law enforcement officials as part of covert investigative operations. After successfully completing the sham evaluation, the client received his driver’s license without any issues.
During the court hearing, Pavlo Krut did not admit his guilt and attempted to deny receiving any improper benefit.
He claimed that the money was simply charitable assistance to an acquaintance for a person with a childhood disability whom his family cares for, and that the exam was conducted entirely legally, with video recording and without any prior arrangements.
In addition, the defendant emphasized what he claimed was a deliberate provocation of the crime by law enforcement officials.
The court completely rejected these explanations, noting that they were baseless and aimed solely at avoiding criminal liability.
The corrupt official’s guilt was proven by witness testimony, bank statements, handwriting analysis, and correspondence. The testimony of an intermediary, whom the court had previously convicted, also influenced the sentencing.
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