Police officer accused of stealing evidence money, found living in forest shelter
Ukrinform reports this with reference to the SBI.
According to investigators, the officer, in violation of the law, kept material evidence — money in various currencies — in his office. The funds had been seized earlier by his subordinates during a pre-trial investigation and were supposed to be transferred to a bank for secure storage.
On November 3, the officer did not show up for work, and the funds mentioned above were missing from his office.
Three days later, on November 6, the SBI and police personnel located the man — he was hiding in a forest in Rivne region, where he had set up temporary shelter. To do so, he purchased a van, a tent, a power station, a large amount of food, and various equipment for long-term living in the woods.
During searches of his vehicle and his “hideout,” law enforcement officers discovered and seized more than 12.6 million hryvnias’ worth of foreign currency.
The officer has been detained. Urgent investigative actions are underway, and efforts continue to determine what happened to the remaining money.
A decision is being prepared regarding a preventive measure in the form of custody.
The suspect has been notified of charges under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — misappropriation of property in especially large amounts by abusing official position.
The article carries a sentence of up to 12 years in prison with confiscation.
As reported by Ukrinform, Head of a department of the Darnytskyi District Police Directorate in Kyiv Yurii Rybianskyi disappeared from his workplace with more than 16 million hryvnias in seized funds for which he was responsible.
