Corruption in Supreme Court: NABU and SAPO conduct investigative actions, including at Kniaziev’s premises. PHOTOS
Anti-corruption bodies are conducting investigative actions as part of a corruption case involving the Supreme Court.
The NABU press service reported this, Censor.NET informs.
Details
"They are being carried out at the workplaces, homes and in the vehicles of a number of serving and former Supreme Court judges. In particular, this includes the former head of the Supreme Court (Vsevolod Kniazev – Ed.), whose case is being heard by the High Anti-Corruption Court," the statement reads.
NABU and SAPO will provide details later.
The case of Vsevolod Kniazev
In May 2023, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the SAPO announced that they had uncovered a scheme to obtain an undue benefit of $2.7 million by the leadership and judges of the Supreme Court.
The case in which the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court received a bribe is connected to the structures of businessman Kostiantyn Zhevaho. According to the investigation, Zhevaho was personally involved in organizing the bribe, although he denies it.
This refers to the decision on April 19 by which the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court overturned the ruling of the Northern Commercial Court of Appeal to invalidate the 2002 agreement on the sale and purchase of 40.19% of shares in Ferrexpo's Poltava Mining and Processing Plant (PMP) and transfer them to the former shareholders of the company, who were part of the VS Energy group of Russian businessmen Alexander Babakov, Evgeny Giner, Mikhail Voevodin and Sergey Shapovalov.
On December 13, 2023, the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption drew up a report against the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on an administrative offense under Part 1 of Article 172-5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (violation of statutory restrictions on receiving gifts).
According to the NACP, Vsevolod Kniazev received a gift in the form of a 133 sq. m. apartment in the Pecherskyi district (Lypky) of Kyiv at a price significantly lower than the minimum market rent.
On January 30, 2024, the HACC extended the measure of restraint to Kniazev until March 29, 2024, while reducing the bail from UAH 20 million to UAH 18.168 million.
On January 31, Kniazev was granted bail in the amount of UAH 18.168 million. He was released from custody the same day.
On February 6, 2024, the High Council of Justice suspended Supreme Court Judge Vsevolod Kniazev from administering justice until April 6, 2024.
Subsequently, the High Council of Justice dismissed Knyazev from his position as a judge. In December 2024, the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court finally upheld the High Council’s decision
