The Supreme Council of Justice (SCJ) suspended the Chairman of the Supreme Court Vsevolod Knyazev from administering justice until April 6, 2024. The reason for this was his criminal prosecution.
This decision was made by the SCJ on February 6, the press service of the body reports.
The decision was supported by all 14 members of the body present. The Prosecutor Generalʼs Office decided to grant the request of Oleksandr Klymenko, Deputy Prosecutor General, Head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutorʼs Office.
- On May 15, 2023, 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 Zhevago in the case of the Poltava Mining and Processing Plant (here are more details about the case). Businessman Zhevago 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. After that, the court reduced the bail seven times.