on 15 August, detectives from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau searched the home of Ukraine’ s Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko. This was reported on Facebook by journalist Yuriy Nikolov, citing his own sources, according to Komersant ukrainskyi
As reported , on 12 August, Deputy Energy Minister OleksandrHale was caught on a half-million dollar bribe. Investigators claim that he demanded the money for granting permission to export mining equipment of a company from the frontline area.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine then summoned Hale’s superior, Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko, to a meeting to explain what was happening in his ministry. However, the Minister did not attend the meeting and did not explain his absence.
Journalist Nikolov explained that NABU had questions for the minister himself. Moreover, a few days after the searches of Hale, NABU conducted a search of Halushchenko’s house.
“I have received confirmation from sources in the energy industry that Energy Minister Galushchenko was afraid to come to the parliamentary report not only because of the question of corrupt officials in his vertical. He was also afraid of being targeted by the NABU. On 15 August, detectives conducted searches at his home and workplace in the same case of Hale, who, according to the Ministry of Energy, was taken for a bribe “with the assistance of the minister”))) In other words, the question of the search, its reasons, and what was seized would definitely be raised in the parliamentary hall. And one of the most important figures in the Yermak-Mindich vertical would have become a source of an even bigger scandal and would have definitely been covered by the international media,”
– nikolov wrote.
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The SBU statement did indeed say that“the scheme was uncovered with the assistance of the Minister of Energy of Ukraine“. The journalist claims that the SBU was simply covering up for the minister for some reason.
“So now it’s even more obvious what nonsense the minister’s PR people and loyal SBU representatives were spreading during the telethon about Deputy Minister Hale being detained with Galushchenko’s assistance. After all, it was known that Galushchenko learned after the fact that his deputy had been detained for bribery. Moreover, from the circumstances of the Hale corruption case, it was quite clear that there was a fully organised system of corruption flows under the roof of the Energy Ministry… In general, it is quite obvious that Galushchenko was simply trying to save face.”
– the journalist is sure.
Minister Galushchenko himself still maintains a “regime of silence”.
The Hale case
on 12 August, Alexander Hale was caught taking a half-million dollar bribe. The same day, the Cabinet of Ministers dismissed him from his post.
According to the prosecutor, Heilo was responsible for the activities of coal enterprises at the Ministry of Energy, in particular, for the efficiency of Selydivuhillya and Volynvuhillya. According to the investigation, the official demanded money for granting permission to export mining equipment from the frontline area.
The hearing was attended by the corruption suspect, his defence lawyers, and the prosecution. The prosecution requested that the former Deputy Energy Minister be arrested with the possibility of being released on UAH 30 million bail.
Hale was arrested for 60 days – until 8 October inclusive.
If he is released on bail, Oleksandr Hale will be subject to a number of obligations: to wear an electronic bracelet, to deposit his passports, not to leave Kyiv and Kyiv region without permission, to report changes of residence and work, and to refrain from communicating with other suspects in the case and witnesses.
More information about the case can be found here.