Kyiv District Court of Odesa has chosen a house arrest as a measure of restraint for director of Odesa College of Economics, Law and the Hotel and Restaurant Business Liubov Kocherha, the Dumska portal reported.
The investigating judge granted the prosecutor’s office’s motion and sent Kocherha to a 24-hour house arrest for 60 days.
The defense party, in turn, asked not to send Kocherha under house arrest as she is a widow and lives alone. The lawyer also noted that Kocherha would not be able to escape from the investigation, having left the country, as her documents were burned in the fire.
“Also, Liubov Kocherha is not intended to influence witnesses since she was dragged out of a third-floor window during a fire,” the lawyer said.
Kocherha is accused under Part 2 of the Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (neglect of duty that caused grave consequences) and if guilty, she may face from two to five years of imprisonment.
As reported, a fire broke out on the third floor of a 6-story educational building in the Odesa College of Economics, Law and Hotel and Restaurant Business at 10:12 on December 4, the area of which reached 4,000 square meters. At 14:18, the fire was localized but not extinguished as of the morning of December 5.
Twelve people died and six people are still missing after the fire. Nine of 30 injured people are still hospitalized.
A criminal case was opened under Part 2 of Article 270 (violation of fire safety requirements established by law) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. December 5 and December 6 were announced mourning days in Odesa.
