Two law enforcement officers from Zaporizhzhia seized money from a deceased pensioner after entering his apartment following a call to the police from concerned neighbors, reports the territorial office of the State Bureau of Investigations in Melitopol.
According to the agency, the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) together with the National Police has completed the investigation into the case involving two Zaporizhzhia police officers suspected of stealing over 799,000 UAH from the deceased pensioner's apartment, as well as his bank cards.
As per the investigation, in October 2023, neighbors of the lonely elderly man, worried that he might have died in his apartment, called the police. The two officers who arrived at the scene indeed found the pensioner's body in the apartment. Subsequently, they conducted an illegal search, seizing $20,000, the deceased's bank cards, and his mobile phone.
From the stolen phone, the officers accessed the deceased's bank accounts and withdrew an additional 65,000 UAH. As a result of the pre-trial investigation, the officers are charged with abuse of power for personal gain, large-scale theft by prior agreement, and unauthorized interference with the operation of the information automated system.
These crimes carry a penalty of up to 8 years in prison. The SBI also notes that one of the officers was found to possess unregistered ammunition during the searches. Currently, one of the accused has been dismissed from the law enforcement agency, while the other has been suspended from his position. Both defendants will soon face trial.