Judge Pelykh caught taking bribe mobilised into Ukraine’s Armed Forces
Judge Oleksandr Pelykh of the Volovets District Court in Zakarpattia region, who was detained while taking a bribe, has been mobilised.
Defence lawyer Serhii Fesenko reported this at a meeting of the High Council of Justice, Censor.NET writes with reference to Zaxid.net.
On Thursday, 4 December, the High Council of Justice considered a motion by Head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) Oleksandr Klymenko seeking consent to remand the judge in custody. After a statement by prosecutor Olena Drobotova, who argued the need for Pelykh’s arrest, the floor was given to the judge’s defence counsel.
"Oleksandr Pelykh no longer exercises judicial powers. On 2 December, he submitted his resignation to the High Council of Justice, and on 3 December, he was mobilised into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Accordingly, no new cases are being assigned to Pelykh, and the risks cited by the pre-trial investigation body are therefore unfounded," the lawyer said.
Having examined all the case materials, the High Council of Justice granted consent to hold Pelykh in custody.
Recall that the judge of the Volovets District Court, who had been seconded to Zakarpattia from Luhansk region, was detained on 28 November while receiving a USD 1,300 bribe for lifting a seizure imposed on timber. Pelykh is charged under Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (bribery).
