Kolomoiskyi case: Economic Security Bureau emphasises that it does not put spokes in National Anti-Corruption Bureau's wheels

The Bureau of Economic Security (BES) assures that it is not preventing the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) detectives from carrying out their pre-trial investigation into businessman Ihor Kolomoiskyi and has "fully satisfied the request" of anti-corruption activists to conduct investigative procedural actions with the suspect.

Source: BES in a response to an information request of Ukrainska Pravda

Details: BES explains that "a pre-trial investigation in respect of one person may be carried out by several law enforcement agencies within the jurisdiction established by law".

Thus, in the criminal proceedings referred to in the request, BES and NABU detectives can conduct pre-trial investigations independently of each other, the bureau said in its response to UP.

In order not to lead to further loss of evidence and undue influence on witnesses, victims or suspects and to prevent information leakage, the agencies do not exchange information, data and evidence obtained during the investigation, BES also points out.

At the same time, it emphasises that BES detectives informed Kolomoiskyi of suspicion of fraud and money laundering "in the interests of the investigation and with sufficient evidence".

Quote from BES: "We would like to draw your attention to the fact that the BES detectives’ investigation and the preventive measure imposed on Kolomoiskyi in no way prevent NABU detectives from conducting a pre-trial investigation.

For its part, BES fully satisfied NABU's request to conduct investigative (procedural) actions with the participation of the suspect.

We also inform you that the Bureau of Economic Security of Ukraine has not received any information about meetings in the Office of the President regarding criminal proceedings against Ihor Kolomoiskyi."

Background:

• On 2 September, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), the Bureau of Economic Security and the Prosecutor General's Office served oligarch Ihor Kolomoiskyi with a notice of suspicion under articles 190 and 209 of the Criminal Code: fraud and legalisation (laundering) of the proceeds of crime.
• The Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv imposed on the oligarch a 60-day custodial sentence with the possibility of bail in the amount of almost UAH 510 million [about US$13.9 million].
• On 7 September, NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office served Kolomoiskyi and five other likely accomplices with a notice of suspicion of misappropriation of over UAH 9.2 billion [about US$250 million] of PrivatBank's funds.
• On 15 September, the court increased the amount of bail for businessman Ihor Kolomoiskyi from just under UAH 510 million to UAH 3.891 billion [about US$185.76 million].

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