In the Appellate Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC), a meeting was held regarding the preventive measure against the former head of the Supreme Court Vsevolod Knyazev. His bail was again reduced from 27 to 20 million hryvnias.
This is already the sixth reduction of Knyazevʼs bail. In May 2023, the pledge amounted to 107.3 million hryvnias, and at the end of the month — 75 million. In September, the court reduced the amount to 55 million hryvnias, at the end of September — to 45 million, and in October to 35 million. Only at the beginning of December, the amount of the pledge was reduced to 27 million hryvnias.
However, the preventive measure itself was not changed. Knyazev will remain in custody until February 2, 2024.
- On May 15, 2023, it became known that the head of the Supreme Court Vsevolod Knyazev was caught taking a bribe of almost $3 million. The bribery was connected with decisions in favor of businessman Kostyantyn Zhevaho in the case of the Poltava Mining and Processing Plant (here are more details about the case). Businessman Zhevaho rejected all the accusations and called the "customers" — the alleged Russian owners of his assets, as well as businessman Ihor Kolomoiskyi.
- On May 16, the Supreme Court expressed no confidence in Knyazev and released him, later Knyazev was suspected, and then the court arrested him with the right to a bail of 75 million hryvnias.
- On October 13, the court sentenced the lawyer Oleh Horetskyi, who, together with Knyazev, was found guilty of bribery. More details here. Goretsky agreed to a deal with the prosecutor, so he received a 5-year suspended sentence with a 3-year probationary period. He must also transfer 21 million hryvnias to the United 24 Fund for the "Army of Drones" project.