SBU responds to anti-corruption chiefs: evidence provided to NABU detectives validates suspicions, denies testimony pressure
The State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) have responded to the statements of the heads of anti-corruption agencies: separate materials confirming the validity of the suspicions declared to the detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) were provided to the NABU director, there is no pressure to testify about Russian influence on NABU, the detained NABU detective was not involved in documenting one of the well-known Ukrainian businessmen.
"Commenting on the statements in the media by the heads of NABU and SAPO, the Security Service of Ukraine notes the following... Regarding the theses that the materials of the criminal proceedings were not provided to NABU, nor to the media... On August 7, SBU investigators provided the head of NABU with separate information and separate materials confirming the validity of the suspicions declared to two NABU employees," the SBU said in a message on the Telegram channel on Friday.
The SBU notes that in accordance with the requirements of criminal procedure legislation, the materials of the pre-trial investigation constitute a secret of the investigation.
"Investigative bodies are not obliged to disclose any information from pre-trial proceedings beyond the limits established by law. All available evidence subject to disclosure was officially made public by the SBU on July 21, including authentic audio conversations of the defendants," the message states.
At the same time, the SBU states that the entire body of evidence will be provided exclusively to the court - in the manner prescribed by procedural norms.
"Regarding the claims of alleged 'pressure on certain people to testify that there is indeed Russian influence in NABU,' there is no pressure on 'certain people' and there cannot be. And the influence of the People's Deputy from the banned pro-Russian party Opposition Platform – For Life party, Fedir Khrystenko, on NABU, is evidenced, in particular, by authentic recordings of his own conversations," the SBU said.
The report recalls that during searches at the residence of the People's Deputy in Ukraine, materials of covert investigative actions and questionnaires of NABU detectives were discovered.
"Therefore, we consider any statements by a representative of the pro-Russian party about "life-threatening danger" to be an attempt to avoid criminal liability," the the SBU said.
In addition, the SBU responded to statements that allegedly "NABU detective Ruslan Maghamedrasulov was detained for documenting a well-known businessman."
"All statements and rumors that allegedly R. Maghamedrasulov was engaged in documenting one of the well-known Ukrainian businessmen are not true. As the investigation established, the defendant had contacts with representatives of the aggressor country and acted as an intermediary in the sale of his father's batches of technical hemp to the Russian Federation (Republic of Dagestan)," the report says.
The Service notes: "Any statements by third parties who deliberately manipulate facts, subjectively assess the materials published by the Service, 'forgetting' about trade with the Russian Federation, are unacceptable."
The SBU reminds that Maghamedrasulov has been declared a suspect under Article 111-2 (aiding an aggressor state) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. He is suspected of doing business in the Russian Federation (he acted as an intermediary in the sale of his father's batches of technical hemp to the Republic of Dagestan). The father of the Bureau employee, a citizen of the Russian Federation - Sentyabr Maghamedrasulov, was also suspected and placed under preventive detention.
"We consider the dissemination of unsubstantiated manipulative statements regarding these high-profile criminal proceedings to be an attempt to exert public pressure on representatives of the judicial branch of government," the SBU said.