The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office have accused four judges from the Kyiv Court of Appeal of bribery, with allegations totaling up to $35,000.
As reported by NABU, the alleged act of corruption took place on November 28, 2023, when a sum of $35,000 was handed over to one of the judges in exchange for a favorable ruling on an appeal of a property seizure order issued against a private firm. This particular judge is suggested to have kept $10,000 of this amount while distributing the remainder sum, i.e., $25,000, among his fellow judges.
During the investigation, detectives conducted searches of the judges’ residences and reportedly seized sizeable sums of money. The involved judges have been charged under two specific articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: Article 368 and Article 28.
- Article 368 pertains to corruption committed by an official, wherein usual bribes could potentially lead to financial penalties or imprisonment ranging from two to five years. In the cases of severe bribery, the convicted could face an imprisonment term of five to ten years.
- Article 28 introduces additional consequences if the crimes have been conducted by a group of persons, a group of persons with prior conspiracy, an organized group, or a criminal organization.
As cited by the Ukrainian News, the suspects in these serious charges are four renowned individuals: Viktor Hlynianyi, the deputy chairman of the Kiev Court of Appeal, and the three judges Yurii Slyva, Ihor Palenyk and Viacheslav Dziubin Ukrainian News.
Unfortunately, corruption remains a significant issue in Ukraine. Lawmakers, judges, and other officials have been charged recently. Transparency International ranked Ukraine 116 out of 180 in terms of corruption in 2022.