In Kyiv, the former head of the department of the Kyivmisksvitlo municipal enterprise was reported on suspicion of official negligence, which, according to the investigation, cost the city almost UAH 14.5 million. The Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office is responsible for the procedural management.
According to official information, the official was obliged to conduct a full market monitoring and determine the average market prices for street lamps before the procurement. It is on the basis of such analysis that the expected cost and requirements for the supplier are formed. The investigation claims that these duties were performed improperly: the company concluded a contract in 2023 and purchased equipment more expensive than the market price, which resulted in an overpayment of tens of millions of hryvnias.
Qualification — Part 2 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (official negligence that caused grave consequences). This is precisely about failure to perform or improper performance of official duties due to dishonest attitude towards them, which resulted in significant losses to the utility company. Investigative actions are ongoing, the suspect enjoys the right to defense and the presumption of innocence.
The prosecutor's office also reminds: the same former gardener previously received a similar suspicion in proceedings regarding the purchase of lanterns under the 2024 contract. According to the investigation, both episodes have a common nature - overpricing due to the absence or formal nature of the price analysis. The court will issue final conclusions; if the losses are confirmed, the city community will have grounds to recover damages in civil proceedings.
In Kyivmiskvitla, the scale and pace of the modernization of the lighting network depends on the correctness and transparency of procurement. Cases of inflated prices undermine the very logic of the upgrades: instead of the maximum number of new lights for each hryvnia invested, the city receives less equipment and slower network restoration. That is why law enforcement officers emphasize the key role of market monitoring, which should protect the customer from overpayments and "overheated" contracts.
The parties are currently awaiting further procedural decisions. If the circumstances outlined by the investigation are confirmed in court, the suspect may face criminal liability, and the utility company may claim compensation for damages in the amount established by the court.
