Case description
On April 17, 2024, the HACC found Reni Mayor Ihor Pliekhov and city council member Ivan Poidolov guilty of taking a bribe for leasing land.
Ihor Pliekhov had been Reni mayor since 2015, Ivan Poidolov is a former member of the Reni City Council from the Opposition Bloc—For Life and former Chairman of the Land Commission. The mayor was approached by an entrepreneur who was engaged in the sale and purchase of grain and wanted to lease 2.5 hectares of land in the city.
According to the investigation, in November 2022, Pliekhov wanted to take a bribe from a businessman. He then entered into a conspiracy with the then member of the city council and agreed on a total bribe of USD 100,000. The businessman was told that the amount would not be reduced, and if he had refused, the land would have been leased to someone else.
The entrepreneur handed over USD 50,000 which he received from the NABU, and the officials were detained while receiving the bribe. The actions of Pliekhov and Poidolov were classified under Article 368(4) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The HACC sentenced the mayor to 9 years in prison, a ban on holding office for 3 years, and confiscation of all property. Council member Poidolov was imprisoned for 10 years, with confiscation of all property and a 3-year ban on holding certain positions.
Reni mayor did not plead guilty and did not agree with the verdict, so the case is currently under appeal.
