16 May 2019, Thursday, 17:40 530

SACPO Opens Case Against MP Leschenko On Suspicion Of Accepting Bribes To Lobby For Business Interests

Editor: Tetiana Herasimova

Читать на русском Читати українською

Share:
Copied

The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SACPO) has opened criminal proceedings against Member of Parliament Serhii Leschenko (Petro Poroshenko Bloc faction) on suspicion of accepting bribes to lobby for the interests of businesses.

The press service of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office announced this in a statement, the Ukrainian News Agency reports.
"The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office has launched criminal proceedings against a member of the parliament on suspicion of taking bribes... According to information published in the mass media, a member of the parliament systematically received millions in bribes from an entrepreneur to lobby for the latter’s business interests, specifically to influence officials of government agencies and law enforcement agencies and create the necessary public opinion in the media space," the press service said in the statement.
In particular, according to the statement, reports that Leschenko received an elite apartment in downtown Kyiv as an illegal bribe are being verified.
To verify the reports, prosecutors with the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office have registered criminal proceedings and summoned Leschenko for questioning.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau is in charge of the pre-trial investigation of the proceedings.
The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office will provide procedural guidance.
Earlier, the mass media published information alleging involvement of Leschenko in lobbying for the interests of oligarch Kostiantyn Hryhoryshyn.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, Prosecutor General Yurii Lutsenko said on May 14 that the Prosecutor-General’s Office was preparing a notification of suspicion that Leschenko divulged information about a pre-trial investigation.