“Last year an average size of a bribe was UAH 40,000, while corrupt officials took UAH 30,000 in 2014. Total sum of bribes in 2015 was UAH 19 million, which is 3 million less than in 2014. It can partially be explained by the increase of the dollar rate: corrupt officials keep abreast of the times and raise the tariffs on their ‘services’,” reads the report.
The representatives of TI Ukraine and Persha Instantsiia/First Instance online platform on judicial disputes presented these survey results at a press conference. Up to a thousand of cases under the Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine On Bribing were analyzed in the period from 2014 to February 2016. We have conducted the survey within the framework of The First Instance is Under Control project, with the support of the Embassy of the United States.
Only one-fifth of officials, or 19%, that were tried for extortion or bribery have been jailed. 9% of the convicted were acquitted and 38% of them received probation. 34% of offenders were fined. The average amount of the fine barely exceeded UAH 20,000, according to the report.
Read alsoU.S. to continue to encourage anti-corruption reforms in Ukraine – White House“The survey indicates another annoying trend -- the bigger the bribe appears in a criminal case, the greater the likelihood that an official remains out of prison. Thus, out of the five largest bribe-takers, whose appetites exceeded UAH 1 and 2 million, only one was sent to prison. Others were acquitted or received probation,” the authors say.
Read alsoNABU fails to detain bribe-taking judge who flees while shooting (Photo)The study shows that Ukrainian courts have been punishing corrupt officials too mildly. The officials who received bribes on a large scale often managed to escape punishment. In addition, modern courts lack a general practice of punishing the corrupt officials and that enables judges apply different penalties for the same crime and leads to corruption in cases against corrupt officials.
Read alsoJudge of Supreme Economic Court detained on bribery charges – SBU spox“Ukraine needs a complete reboot of the judiciary system. This branch of government should work on the principles of justice, integrity and public control. That’s when Ukraine will be able to overcome corruption and establish the rule of law,” Transparency International Ukraine concludes.
