Prosecutors: Uzhgorod city council officials illegally distributed 1.23 hectares of public forest land

Prosecutors of Transcarpathian region registered in the Unified register of pretrial investigations the information about abuse of position committed by officials of Uzhgorod City Council which resulted in misappropriation of over 1.23 hectares of state forest land.

According to the head of the Department for protection of the interests of citizens and the state in the sphere of land relations Ivan Kostiv, the prosecutor’s inspection revealed that officials of Uzhgorod City Council, the Department of the State Land Committee, using their official position, disposed of state-owned forest land in area of ​​more than 1 hectare for the benefit of third parties. In particular, they, in violation of the Land Code of Ukraine, deprived the SE "Uzhgorod forestry" of the right to use these lands, changed their purpose, and subsequently transferred the land to private ownership of 12 individuals for the construction and maintenance of residential buildings.

Therefore, the prosecution began preliminary inquiry under Part 2 of Art. 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – the abuse of power or position by employees of Uzhgorod City Council in order to obtain undue benefits for other individuals.

Reference.

Part 2 of Art. 364 Criminal Code of Ukraine, abuse of power or position – that is, intentional, aimed to receive any undue advantage for himself or herself or another person or entity, use of authority or official position by an official contrary to the interests of the service that caused any grave consequences, – punishable with imprisonment for a period of three to six years, with disqualification to hold certain posts or practice certain activities for up to three years with a fine of five hundred to one thousand untaxed minimum incomes and with special forfeiture.

    Source – Press Service of prosecutor’s office in Transcarpathian region