NABU official leaked investigation data, says Ukrainian activist

The agency’s First Deputy Director, Gizo Uglava, leaked investigative information, said civil activist, businessman, and former freelance agent of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) Yevhen Shevchenko in an interview with Radio NV on June 11.

"I can confirm 100% that he leaked the information. I can say that for sure," he said.

"I hope that he will eventually be suspected of a crime, sit in the dock, and get five to ten years in prison. I don't know exactly what he will be charged with, what article of the penal code. It would be very good."

Shevchenko had suspicions about Uglava's involvement in corruption or leaking information during Artem Sytnyk's leadership of the bureau. "Although I had some suspicions, there were several episodes, some information was circulating," he said, but there were no concrete facts.

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"I didn't really want to think that the first deputy director could leak information. I just didn't want to believe it because it involved a huge number of problems that needed to be solved. Nevertheless, he remained in his position, and there are no real facts about his involvement in problems with the investigation in earlier years. Although some things are being investigated."

Shevchenko believes that as Sytnyk's term approached its end in April 2022, Uglava established a relationship "with the authorities of President Zelenskyy and his party, his officials," including presidential adviser Heorhii Birkadze.

"In the end, it seems to me that he simply set out to keep his position at NABU. He began to leak information and otherwise please the current government and team. And the results show that he kept his position under the new director."

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The case against Uglava is being personally supervised by Oleksandr Klymenko, the head of Ukraine's Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), who "is interested and knows the importance of this investigation and the fact that Uglava really should be in prison for such crimes," Shevchenko said. He added that there is no possibility that this case will be "leaked," but there is still the question of whether there is enough evidence to serve a notice of suspicion.

This follows an earlier report on May 24 that NABU Director Semen Kryvonos had dismissed Uglava at his own request.

"To ensure an objective pre-trial investigation into the alleged information leak, NABU Director ordered the suspension of the First Deputy Director of NABU from performing his duties and managing units," NABU said in response to NV Business’ editorial request.

"We will inform the public about the course and results of the pre-trial investigation."

NABU also added that the management and staff of the Bureau are interested in conducting a full, comprehensive, and impartial investigation into this matter.

Uglava may be involved in leaking information about the progress of NABU investigations, according to NV Business's sources.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine