The criminal investigation targeting former Deputy Minister for Temporary Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons Yuriy Hrymchak has been closed over the absence of corpus delicti.
"Since today is the day of good news, I'll inform you on my page that the case opened by NABU [the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine] against me under Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine has been closed over the absence of corpus delicti. I will shortly post the relevant report here, as soon as the lawyers receive the whole package of documents," he wrote on Facebook.
In addition, Hrymchak added from now on he would work as a chief in an international legal agency and be engaged in the release of captured Ukrainians.
Read alsoEx-Deputy Minister Hrymchak suspected of fraud released from custody
As UNIAN reported earlier, Hrymchak and his assistant, Ihor Ovdienko, were detained on August 14, 2019, on bribery charges.
The two officials allegedly demanded US$1.1 million from a representative of a legal entity for "exercising influence on decision-making by persons authorized to perform state functions." Hrymchak and his assistant were apprehended amid receiving part of the sum in the amount of US$480,000, the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) said.
On August 15, Hrymchak and his assistant were notified of suspicion under Part 4 of Article 190 "Fraud Committed on an Especially Large Scale or by an Organized Group" of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. "The individuals by deception took possession of other people's property – money in a particularly large amount," NABU added.
The crime under the said article is punishable by imprisonment for a term from five to 12 years with confiscation of property.
On August 16, judge of Chernihiv's Desniansky district court Natalia Liamzina ruled to take Hrymchak into custody, setting bail at UAH 6 million (US$241,448).
On August 17, Chernihiv's Desniansky district court ruled to take Ihor Ovdienko, Hrymchak's assistant, into custody for two months, setting bail at UAH 4 million (US$160,965).
On October 8, Kyiv's Pechersky district court extended Hrymchak's detention until November 14.
On November 14, the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) extended Hrymchak's detention for another two months.
On December 20, an HACC judge reduced the amount of bail by almost 67%.
On January 30, 2020, Hrymchak was released from custody.
