Detectives of the Territorial Department of the Economic Security Bureau in Kyiv region are investigating criminal proceedings over misappropriation and embezzlement of budget funds through abuse of office.

The investigation established that in the spring of this year the Kyiv Regional Council's municipal institution, the Special Medical Supply Base, announced a tender for the purchase of an SPECT scanner for the oblast clinic. The expected cost of the device is UAH 44.5 million. At the request of the oncology clinic KODA provided UAH 20 million in partial funding for the purchase of a tomograph as part of the Kyiv Region Health 2021-2023 program.

The Bureau's experts analyzed purchases of similar medical equipment by other customers and found that the purchase price was almost twice as high.

Employees of the Territorial Department sent letters and recommended that budget managers reconsider the decision to purchase the relevant medical equipment and terminate the contract with the supplier.

As a result of the measures taken, Kyiv Regional State Administration canceled the allocation of UAH 20 million for the purchase of a CT scanner for the cancer center.

"This decision was made by the head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration following a meeting of the Transparency and Accountability Working Group with the participation of the heads of law enforcement agencies in Kyiv region. In general, since the beginning of the year, employees of the ESBU in Kyiv region have identified risks in tender procurement and prevented the embezzlement of UAH 173.8 million," said Maksym Kuterha, Head of the ESBU in Kyiv region.

The pre-trial investigation under Part 3 of Art. 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine is ongoing.