In Sumy, a city in Ukraine, the mayor was detained on suspicions of bribery, with the possibility of release on bail considered by the country’s Anti-Corruption Court. This development was reported by a national public broadcaster.
The mayor remained in custody for an extended period, with a two-month detention lasting until December 2, 2023. Bail under discussion stood at three million hryvnia, approximately 81,800 dollars, depending on court assessment.
A law enforcement inquiry charged the mayor and a senior official, the director of the infrastructure department within the Sumy City Council, with accepting bribes totaling more than two million hryvnia, roughly 57,600 dollars.
Earlier statements indicated that Ukraine’s Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office planned to petition the court to detain the mayor on corruption suspicions.
On October 3, authorities detained the mayor and the head of the local infrastructure department. The Security Service of Ukraine reported that both officials were taken into custody amid allegations of accepting a bribe.
According to intelligence sources, the region’s leader, accompanied by an associate, allegedly offered ‘tribute’ to one of the city’s waste management companies. The alleged demand was about securing two million hryvnias, more than 54,000 dollars, from the company. Officials allegedly threatened the owners with obstructive measures to hinder business operations if the offer was refused.
Earlier reports had identified a reputed involvement of a fermentation of illicit funding linked to the region, highlighting tensions between municipal governance and business interests. Attribution: SBU, SAP, and public investigative reporting agencies.
The case underscores ongoing concerns about governance and corruption in municipal administration, and it continues to unfold as prosecutors pursue formal charges, detention extensions, and potential bail rulings. Observers note the broader context of anti-corruption efforts in Ukraine and the role of independent prosecutorial authorities in pursuing high-profile cases. Attribution: SAP, SBU, and national news agencies.