SBI probes into purchase by Public broadcaster of equipment for UAH 15 million

Photo credit: 1tv.com.ua In April 2019, the State Bureau of Investigation registered a malpractice case to verify supplies of equipment to PJSC National Public TV and Radio Company of Ukraine, as “Court reporter” informed with reference to the data of the court decisions register . On December 14, 2017, a contract for the purchase of audiovisual equipment for the amount of UAH 15 million ($ 594 thousand) was concluded between PJSC NPTU, represented by the Chairman of the Board of Zurab Alasania and LLC VisionHouse. As to investigator, some other companies are involved in the controversial contracts, such as Onyx Solutions LLC, Modern IT Technologies LLC, Reliable Online Store LLC, the Foundation for Supporting the Creation and Development of Public Television and Radio Broadcasting in Ukraine. In early July 2019, the SBI investigator got access to the information on the flaw of funds on the accounts of PJSC “NPTU” in order to confirm or to refute the fact of dummy transactions, to reveal waste of funds, by transferring it to counterparties without actually performing any work. IMI reported, on August 30, the State Bureau of Investigation and the Security Service of Ukraine conducted searches at the National Public TV and Radio Company of Ukraine and at home in several of its employees. The State Bureau of Investigation has reported that it is conducting investigative actions in the premises of PJSC “National Public Television and Radio Company of Ukraine” within the framework of the pre-trial investigation of criminal proceedings regarding eventual unlawful acts of PJSC NPTU officials, namely abuse of office in order to obtain some improper advantages for itself or other physical persons or legal entities. On August 30, Zurab's legal adviser, Andriy Huk, told that investigators of the State Bureau of Investigation had completed search of Alasania's premises and seized several copies of documents concerning PJSC NPTU activities.