Sumy mayor suspended from office for two months

Ukraine's High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) has suspended Sumy Mayor Oleksandr Lysenko, who is suspected of receiving more than UAH 2.1 million in bribes.

The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) announced this on Facebook, according to Ukrinform.

"On October 9, 2023, an HACC investigative judge granted the request of NABU [National Anti-Corruption Bureau] detectives, approved by the SAP prosecutor, and suspended the mayor of the city of Sumy from office. He, together with the director of the infrastructure department of the Sumy region, was exposed asking for and receiving an illegal benefit in a particularly large amount, namely UAH 2,130,000," the post reads.

The official has been suspended from office for two months.

On October 3, Sumy Mayor Oleksandr Lysenko was charged with receiving UAH 2.13 million in illegal benefits.

HACC ruled to hold Lysenko in custody, with the possibility of posting UAH 3 million bail. The specified amount has been deposited. As a result, the mayor was released from pretrial detention on October 6.