The High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) has issued an order for the forced police escort of Bila Tserkva Mayor Hennadiy Dykyi to a court hearing scheduled for August 12. The official is accused of abuse of office, which led to multi-million-hryvnia losses for the local budget during a municipal property acquisition.
The execution of the court order regarding the forced escort of the city mayor has been entrusted to detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU). Judges resorted to these measures due to the defendant’s consistent failure to appear in person at previous court hearings.
At the same time, the panel of judges has provided a backup plan to prevent further delays in the proceedings. If NABU detectives are unable to execute the forced escort order due to objective reasons, the August 12 hearing will be conducted via videoconference.
The criminal case against the official dates back to events in 2018. According to investigations by NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), the Bila Tserkva City Council, under Dykyi’s leadership, approved the purchase of an unfinished construction project for nearly 24 million UAH.
Law enforcement established that shortly before the deal with the city, the exact same property had been purchased by private entities for only 4.5 million UAH. Investigators contend that the vast price difference constitutes direct financial damage to the Bila Tserkva community, and that the transaction was executed through an abuse of power.
Key Allegation: Investigators consider the procurement of property at a price five times higher than its previous market transaction to be a deliberate scheme involving abuse of official position for the benefit of third parties.
The trial against Hennadiy Dykyi has faced significant delays. Proceedings were officially suspended after the mayor mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine to participate in the country’s defense.
According to available information, the official served on the front lines and was injured while performing combat duties in the Sumy region. Following medical treatment and his subsequent return to his duties as head of the Bila Tserkva city community, anti-corruption authorities officially resumed the trial.