Investigators say MP from Zelensky's party was sober during car accident

Ukraine's State Investigation Bureau said on March 20 that it had opened an investigation into a car accident involving Volodymyr Hevko, a member of parliament from President Volodymyr Zelensky's Servant of the People party.

The bureau said it had found that lawmaker was sober during the car accident, whch left one individual dead.

The deceased did not cross the road using a designated pedestrian crossing, the State Investigation Bureau said. Hevko is fully cooperating with the authorities, according to the bureau.

Hevko wrote on March 19 about the accident, conveying his condolences to the family of the deceased and saying that there were "no words" to console this pain but that he would do "everything possible" to help the family.

This is the second time law enforcement authorities appear to be on Hevko's side.

The High Anti-Corruption Court said on Feb. 1 that it had exempted Hevko from criminal responsibility for false information in his asset declaration due to his "repentance."

In December the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office said that Hevko had failed to declare assets worth Hr 3.7 million ($100,000).

Anti-corruption watchdogs say Ukraine's asset declaration system has been effectively destroyed because officials are now allowed not to file asset declarations at all, using martial law as a pretext.

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The Kyiv Independent