The High Anti-Corruption Court sentenced a former Odessa regional lawmaker to 4.5 years in prison in a case involving millions in losses related to public lighting
The High Anti-Corruption Court has handed down a verdict against a former member of the Odesa Regional Council and the director of a construction company in a case involving corruption in the procurement of street lighting. According to the investigation, the scheme caused tens of millions of hryvnias in losses to the community through the artificial splitting of contracts and price inflation. The court found both defendants guilty and imposed actual prison terms with additional bans on holding management positions.
On Friday, a panel of judges at the High Anti-Corruption Court announced the verdict in a case involving the procurement of streetlights for one of the communities in the Odesa region. According to the prosecution’s case, a former regional council deputy, together with the head of a construction company, organized a scheme that allowed for procurement to bypass open tender procedures and effectively take place without competition.
As the court established, in 2018, contracts for street lighting installation work were artificially split into parts so that each individual contract would not exceed the threshold amount requiring mandatory bidding. This allowed for direct agreements with a controlled company, bypassing the electronic procurement system, which significantly simplified approvals and eliminated oversight mechanisms.
Furthermore, according to the investigation, the cost estimates included lighting fixtures priced at more than six times the actual cost, which directly affected the final cost of the work. Separately, it was established that certificates of completion were signed with false data, allowing budget funds to be transferred to the company’s accounts without actual confirmation of expenses.
The court also noted two instances of embezzlement—amounting to 6 million UAH and 10.4 million UAH, respectively—which together resulted in total losses to the state of 16.4 million UAH during the 2018–2020 period. In addition to the main sentence, the former deputy is prohibited from holding managerial and administrative positions in government and at state-owned enterprises for three years, and the company director is prohibited from working in similar positions in business structures.
The High Anti-Corruption Court’s verdict may be appealed within the time limits established by law, within 30 days of its pronouncement.
As a reminder, the reform of the Military Service Code will take place after changes to military salaries and terms of service.
Earlier, Svyrydenko reported that the Ministry of Defense plans to increase allowances for military personnel and introduce clear terms of service.
