The Ivano-Frankivsk City Court has ruled to seize the property of the head of the Verkhovyna Village Council, Vasyl Mytskanyuk, and local deputy Vasyl Dronyak, who were detained in August for taking a bribe of $8,000. The court also suspended Vasyl Mytskanyuk from the position of village head until October 5, 2025.
According to the investigation, the officials demanded money from a local businessman for the lease of a plot of land and permission to set up a small shop on it. At the same time, they knew that during martial law, placing any structures on this territory was prohibited. To circumvent the restrictions, the officials planned to conclude a sublease agreement with the businessman.
The village head hid information from the deputies and the executive committee about the impossibility of adopting the relevant decisions and, on the contrary, assured that there were no obstacles to voting. It was after the documents were approved that the officials received the first part of the bribe, and when they were handing over the second part, they were detained.
The court chose a preventive measure for the suspects in the form of detention with the possibility of posting bail in the amount of 336,108 hryvnias each. In addition, property was seized: two land plots belonging to Vasyl Mytskanyuk, as well as a residential building with a shop belonging to Vasyl Droniak.
The Honda Accord in which the officials were traveling during the arrest was also seized. The court rulings state that the vehicle was recognized as physical evidence, even though it does not belong to any of the suspects.
Both men are suspected of committing a crime under Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – receiving an unlawful benefit by an official, committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons.
