CENTRAL ANTI-CORRUPTION BUREAU always in the interest of Poland For bribes they helped to extort money from ARiMR (Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture) - News -

Agents from the Poznań CBA's Regional Office detained the former head and former chief specialist from the Wielkopolska Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture. The owner of a private agricultural advisory center was also caught. A dozen or so farmers were interviewed. Detainees will be responsible for participating in corruption crimes. The agency's employees, in exchange for bribes, helped farmers obtain financial subsidies for investment activities that were covered by the Rural Development program for 2007-2013 and 2014-2020. The program included two projects: "Modernization of agricultural holdings" and "Bonus for young farmers".

The officers determined that the amount of financial benefits accepted by ARiMR employees was at least 73,000 PLN. In exchange for bribes, they led to obtaining by the farmers of financial aid. The total payout amount exceeded 5.4 million zlotys. It should be added that farmers were able to receive appropriate training to increase the chance of receiving co-financing. To help with that there was an agricultural advisor, who "arranged" for applicants certificates of completion of this training.

In the course of the investigation it was established that the employees of the agricultural agency were involved in the development and completion of the required documentation submitted by the farmers. As a result, they watched over the positive consideration of applications. In the event of errors being detected, they made relevant changes or replaced documents, eliminating possible irregularities. The officers from Poznań investigating the case searched offices at ARiMR and detained people's apartments. Documentations and data carriers were secured there.

The Central Anticorruption Bureau informs farmers who, as a result of the corruption proposals submitted to them, have been entangled in this procedure and who handed over a financial benefit - there is a possibility of using the so-called the unpunishability clause resulting from art. 229 p. 6 Penal Code.

Pursuant to the Penal Code, the condition of avoiding criminal liability, if the financial benefit or personal benefit or their promise was accepted by a person performing a public function, is a voluntary notification of law enforcement authorities - in this case the Regional Office of the CBA in Poznań or the District Prosecutor's Office in Poznań. The perpetrator must inform about this fact before the authority finds out about it and has to disclose all the relevant circumstances of the offense.