Employees Of Housing And Communal Services Unit In Minsk Sentenced For Budget Money Embezzlement

The funds went to a fictitious purchase of lifts.

The court of the Maskouski district of Minsk on September 16 made a sentence in the case of abuse of power or official authority, writes tut.by. At the beginning of last year, the law-enforcement agencies opened criminal proceedings against two officials of the housing and communal services unit # 1 of the Maskouski district of Minsk, namely, the director of the enterprise and his deputy, for embezzlement. The money went to a fictitious purchase of lifts for the disabled in the hallways.

The court said that one of the defendants, in order to avoid liability for failure to fulfill the conditions of the state contract for the overhaul of a residential building, signed the certificate on the cost of the work performed, which contained false information. According to this certificate, a large sum was paid from the budget.

In addition, both accused used their official powers to hide the failure to fulfill the action plans for the implementation of the State program on social protection and promotion of employment for 2016–2020. The defendants signed fictitious waybills and acts of delivery and installation by firms of lifting platforms for the disabled in the Maskouski district of Minsk. According to these documents, the budget paid for the work performed. A large amount was also allocated.

The actions of the accused “entailed grave consequences, substantial harm to the state and public interests, rights and legitimate interests of citizens,” the court’s press-center said.

The accused were found guilty under Part 3 of Article 424 of the Criminal Code (Abuse of official authority, entailing grave consequences). One of the accused was sentenced to five years of imprisonment and the prohibition to hold certain posts for five years, with a delay of sentence for three years. The second defendant was sentenced to three years of imprisonment and the prohibition to hold certain posts for five years, with a delay of sentence for two years.

The sentence has not entered into legal force and may be appealed and protested.