Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, based on the results of checks on alleged illegal actions by the former head of Kharkiv regional state administration, has opened a criminal case against officials from Kharkiv Regional State Administration and the main office of the State Agency for Land Resources in Kharkiv region for land fraud in 2009.
"The prosecutor’s office conducted checks based on a request made by Kharkiv Regional State Administration on January 3, 2012 regarding unlawful actions by the former head of the state administration when signing and issuing state acts on the ownership of land plots to a limited liability company," the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
Based on the results of checks, the prosecutor’s office opened a criminal case against officials of Kharkiv Regional State Administration and the main office of the State Agency for Land Resources in Kharkiv region "due to the illegal appropriation in 2009 of state-owned land plots with a total area of almost 55 hectares worth more than Hк 5.5 million through abuse of office… and forgery."
The case against the officials was opened under Part 2, Article 364 and Part 2, Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The prosecutor’s office’s department for the investigation of criminal cases involving crimes related to corruption was ordered to conduct a pre-trial investigation.
The administration told Interfax-Ukraine that a criminal case had been opened against former Head of Kharkiv Regional State Administration Arsen Avakov.
Avakov was appointed governor of Kharkiv region on Feb. 4, 2005. On Feb. 9, 2010, he resigned under Part 3, Article 31 of the Ukrainian law on civil service (fundamental disagreement with the decision of a public body or official, as well as ethical obstacles to stay in public service).
Avakov has been a member of the Batkivschyna Party since April 21, 2010, and heads the Kharkiv regional branch of the party. Previously, he was a member of the Our Ukraine Party, which is headed by third Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko (2005-2010), and was a deputy of Kharkiv Regional Council of the fifth and sixth convocations.
