Over 30 years of violence against female students: suspicions declared against ensemble leader in Poltava region
In Poltava region, law enforcement officers have reported suspicions to the leader of a dance group, who is suspected of many years of sexual abuse against underage students. According to the investigation, the crimes could have lasted for more than 30 years.
This was reported by the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Poltava Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
According to law enforcement sources, the person in question is the 85-year-old leader of the Kremenchuk dance ensemble “Suzir’ya” Oleksandr Kulish, who has been leading the group for over half a century.
The investigation was launched after the media reported on possible sexual assault allegations by former members of the ensemble. During the investigation, law enforcement officers identified at least four victims.
According to the investigation, during the years 1982–2014, the team leader invited children to his office under various pretexts, where he committed lewd acts and sexual violence against them.
“The public resonance of the actions is given by the fact that the victims were children who were under the care and pedagogical influence of an adult, to whom the parents entrusted their upbringing, education, and safety,” said Oleh Balayev, head of the Kremenchuk District Prosecutor’s Office.
Suspicion was declared under several articles of the Criminal Code that were in effect at the time of the crimes. Among them are lewd acts against children and sexual abuse of minors.
The Prosecutor General’s Office reported that the issue of choosing a preventive measure and removing the suspect from office is currently being resolved.
“Currently, the issue of imposing a preventive measure on the suspect and removing him from office is being resolved,” the UCP noted.
The most severe of the articles carries a penalty of eight to twelve years in prison.
The case is being investigated against the backdrop of high-profile testimonies from former students of the ensemble, who spoke about years of psychological pressure, humiliation, physical and sexual violence in the group. Some of the former students said that for a long time they did not dare to talk about their experiences due to fear and distrust from adults.
The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.
As a reminder, law enforcement officers in Khmelnytskyi detained a 58-year-old director of a foreign language learning center. The investigation suspects him of molesting two underage students and is checking information about other possible victims.
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