In Odessa, a military enlistment officer accepted a bribe of 160,000 and received a significantly lighter fine. Court details reveal more.

A serviceman stopped a man on the street to deliver a summons for a visit to the recruitment center (TCK) and for further mobilization. He hinted that he could refrain from issuing the summons but wanted to receive $4,000 (approximately 160,000 at the NBU exchange rate) for it. The individual was detained, a criminal case was opened, and he was fined and banned from working at the recruitment center. Details about the manipulations committed by the suspect and the justification for the verdict can be found in the court decision, published in the Register of Court Decisions.

On October 22, materials from the court session regarding case 1-kp/947/1165/24, which was handled by the Kyiv District Court of Odesa, appeared in the Register. It is noted that the suspect, a sergeant and commander of the TCK security division, was suspected under part 1 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code — receiving illegal benefits. The court reviewed the materials, found the defendant guilty, and established a penalty — a fine of 4,750 tax-exempt minimum incomes for citizens and a two-year ban from holding positions in the TCK. The document describes the actions of the perpetrator and explains why imprisonment was not imposed as a punishment.

The events unfolded from May 29 to June 11, 2024, and the crime occurred in three stages. In the first stage of the crime, on May 29 at 9 AM, the recruitment officer in downtown Odesa stopped a local resident and stated that he would not issue a summons if he received $4,000 from him. The Odesa resident allegedly agreed, and they arranged a procedure for the money transfer, which was to take place in several stages. On June 6, the suspect received the first tranche of $1,000, and on June 11 — another $1,000. The remaining money was not received by the TCK employee as he was detained by law enforcement.

When the court decided on the punishment for the defendant, it took into account his disability, the presence of minor children, as well as his cooperation with the investigation and remorse. The case materials state that the recruitment officer "fully realizes what he has done, is very ashamed of it, succumbed to temptation, and could not resist it, asking for forgiveness for his actions." Considering these circumstances, the defendant received a fine of 80,000 UAH instead of a two-year prison sentence. The money was returned to the Odesa resident who prepared the bribe; moreover, the recruitment officer must cover the court costs for the expertise, as indicated in the court ruling materials ("plus" 12,000 UAH).

Strengthening Mobilization and TCK — Details

We remind you that on October 29, a verdict was issued in the case of a man who recorded a video of communication between recruitment offices and citizens and posted it on the social network TikTok. Meanwhile, MP Anna Skorokhod reported on the volumes of military personnel fleeing from the army and the reasons behind such actions.