NABU tracks down ex-judge Leonov, sentenced to 11 years for demanding $30,000 bribe but fled. PHOTO
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office located and detained Andrii Leonov, a former judge of the Babushkinskyi District Court of Dnipropetrovsk. He had evaded an 11-year prison sentence for bribery for more than three years. He has now been taken to a detention center.
The NABU press service reported this, according to Censor.NET.
NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office located Andrii Leonov, a former judge of the Babushkinskyi District Court of Dnipropetrovsk, who had evaded serving his sentence for more than three years.
Why was Judge Leonov detained?
In May 2018, Leonov was caught demanding a $30,000 bribe and receiving part of the sum. In return, he promised to recognize a farming enterprise as a victim and deliver a sentence that did not involve imprisonment in a case concerning corporate raiding and document forgery.
In March 2023, the High Anti-Corruption Court found Leonov guilty and sentenced him to 11 years in prison. It also barred him from serving as a judge for three years and ordered the confiscation of all his property.
Andrii Leonov was wanted for three years
Leonov did not appear for the delivery of the verdict or the appeal hearing. He was placed on the wanted list in June 2023.
After a series of search operations, NABU detectives located and detained him. To avoid detection, he hid in concealed premises, traveled along routes with few people, used cars with altered license plates and rode two-wheeled vehicles. On some occasions, he even wore a Ukrainian National Police uniform.
The detainee has now been taken to a detention center.
