The Higher Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) allowed a special investigation into the case of the former head of the National Bank Kyrylo Shevchenko, who is suspected of embezzling 206 million hryvnias from "Ukrgasbank".
A special investigation means that the case can be considered without the presence of Shevchenko (he is currently wanted). His interests will be represented by a lawyer.
The specialized anti-corruption prosecutorʼs office explained that this decision will make it possible to complete the pre-trial investigation and transfer the case to court.
Shevchenko himself wrote on Facebook that the case against him was transferred into closed hearing. This means that in the future, all court procedures will be conducted without the participation of the public, mass media and independent observers.
"Did such a decision come as a surprise? Unfortunately no. It is obvious that in a quite transparent case, excessive publicity is unacceptable for NABU and SAP detectives," Shevchenko added.
- On October 4, 2022, Kyrylo Shevchenko resigned from the position of head of the NBU "for reasons related to health." The President approved this decision.
- Already on October 6, NABU declared Shevchenko of the suspicion. The case concerns the period when he was the chairman of the board of "Ukrgasbank". We are talking about the withdrawal scheme of 206 million hryvnias during 2014-2019. On the same day, the Verkhovna Rada dismissed Shevchenko from the position of head of the National Bank.
- On October 24, Shevchenko was declared wanted, and on December 8 he was arrested in absentia. According to journalists, Shevchenko was in Vienna.