NABU and SAPO exposed large-scale corruption in the Supreme Court of Ukraine
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office detained the Head of the Supreme Court while taking a bribe of $2.7 million.
The investigation into this incident is ongoing.
Representatives of the NABU confirmed the presence of “widespread corruption in the Supreme Court” regarding the illegal activities of the leadership and judges of this institution.
More detailed information about what happened in the bureau is promised to be provided later, but photos of the seized funds have already been presented.
Previously, the bribe was from the fugitive oligarch Konstantin Zhevago. The case of bankruptcy of the bank “Finance and Credit” is being investigated against him. For reference: Knyazev’s monthly salary was from 670 thousand hryvnias.
Vsevolod Knyazev was detained. Another 18 judges from the Supreme Court are being searched.
NABU published a conversation between Vsevolod Knyazev and his accomplices. There you can hear what actions someone took and how the transmission itself took place in order to maintain secrecy.
On May 16, at 12:00, a briefing was held by the leaders of NABU and SAPO on the exposed scheme for obtaining illegal benefits by the leadership and judges of the Supreme Court .
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Venue: st. Vasily Surikov, 3, NABU. Preliminary accreditation of media representatives is required before 11:30 by phone (067) 1485636 or by e-mail press@nabu.gov.ua, press.nabu@gmail.com.
The broadcast of the briefing can be seen on the NABU YouTube channel:
The Supreme Court expressed no confidence in the chairman Vsevolod Knyazev, who was caught taking bribes
The submission was signed by 138 judges out of 142 present. The secretary of the meeting called it “a black day in the history of the court” (although it would be more correct to call it “a black day in the history of corruption”).
The head of the Supreme Court – Vsevolod Knyazev – was detained
Vsevolod Sergeevich Knyazev (ukr. Knyazev Vsevolod Sergiyovich ; born May 25, 1979, Nikolaev, Nikolaev region, Ukrainian SSR, USSR) – Ukrainian lawyer and judge. Chairman of the Supreme Court of Ukraine since December 1, 2021. He is ex officio a member of the High Council of Justice and a judge of the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court.
In 2013, he was first appointed as a judge. From 2015 to 2017, he served as head of the Mykolaiv District Administrative Court. In 2017 he became a judge of the Supreme Court. He was a member of the Administrative Court of Cassation.
December 12, 2017 Vsevolod Knyazev was elected Secretary of the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court.
On October 22, 2021, the Plenum of the Supreme Court elected Knyazev Chairman of the Supreme Court. He took office on December 1, replacing Valentina Danishevskaya.
PhD in Law (2011), Associate Professor (2014), Doctor of Law, Professor (2021). Author of a number of scientific publications. He is fluent in English, Russian, and also French (with a dictionary) languages. Married. Has two children.
Wikipedia.org
Download Decree of the President of Ukraine (P.A. Poroshenko) on the appointment of judges of the Supreme Court (Knyazev).
Public opinion on corruption in the Supreme Court
“The first part of the bribe was transferred a couple of weeks ago, 1.2-1.5 million dollars. And another $450,000 was provided on Monday. During the transfer of the second tranche, the Chairman of the Supreme Court Knyazev was detained. The mediator was also detained. Investigative actions and searches of those judges who also took part in making a scandalous decision in the interests of Zhevago are ongoing.”
Freelance agent of NABU, Yevgeny Shevchenko
“This is a shameful practice, even if the judges of the Supreme Court are corrupt. However, this is a plus of our anti-corruption vertical, which proves that it works. Taking bribes in wartime is blasphemy. Therefore, the head of the Supreme Court must be held accountable and punished. In addition, this is another signal that our judicial system needs to be reformed.”
People’s Deputy of Ukraine, Servant of the People faction, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, Yevhen Chernev
“This proves once again that high salaries for officials do not mean conscientiousness, responsibility and non-corruption of these officials. We have 600-700 thousand hryvnia salaries in the supervisory boards. When our chairman of the Supreme Court receives more than 670,000 hryvnias, but continues to take bribes… A bribe for which one could buy a tank, then something is wrong in this system.”
People’s Deputy of Ukraine (non-factional), ex-chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Dmitry Razumkov
“This case showed that the concept that they tried to impose in Ukraine as the best anti-corruption strategy – create new bodies, or recruit new people, give them high salaries – does not give a 100% result in the anti-corruption fight. Ukraine should look for its own know-how in the fight against corruption.”
People’s Deputy of Ukraine, Servant of the People faction, Galina Yanchenko
“It is a pity that people to whom society has given such a credit of trust and rather big salaries have become bribe-takers. But on the other hand, the work of anti-corruption bodies is excellent. They showed that there are no inviolable people and this is a signal to all other officials. That their next bribe can quickly become a photo on their couch.”
People’s Deputy of Ukraine, “Voice” faction, Yaroslav Zheleznyak
The Chairman of the Supreme Court and the mediator were informed of the suspicion
On the evening of May 16, 2023, the NABU informed the Chairman of the Supreme Court Knyazev and the intermediary lawyer about the suspicion .
They were exposed for receiving $2.7 million in improper benefits . Qualification of the article: part 4 of Art. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine .
The Supreme Council of Justice voted unanimously for the detention of the former head of the Supreme Court Knyazev
On May 18, 2023, the High Council of Justice authorized the detention of the President of the Supreme Court . If the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court decides accordingly.
Election of a measure of restraint for an intermediary lawyer and the head of the Supreme Court
Lawyer Oleg Goretsky , suspected of mediating in giving a bribe to Knyazev, was arrested until July 13.
The alternative is 80 million UAH of collateral. Goretsky fled through the balcony when the detectives tried to search his place. She and her wife did not open the doors, therefore, they broke into it with special means. Goretsky was found an hour later in a hotel room.
The court also chose a measure of restraint for the ex-Chairman of the Supreme Court Knyazev – detention until July 14 with the possibility of making a bail in the amount of more than 107 million hryvnias.
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