The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) on April 6 arrested the brother of controversial judge Pavlo Vovk for alleged bribery, sources familiar with the investigation told the Kyiv Post.
Vovk’s brother, Yury Zontov, is accused of receiving a $100,000 bribe as an intermediary and was supposed to give the money to Vovk, the sources said.
On the same day, NABU also searched the Kyiv District Administrative Court, which is headed by Vovk.
Ukrainian media outlets reported the same thing, citing their own unnamed sources.
The court did not respond to a request for comment.
Commenting on the case, the NABU said that two lawyers, including a relative of Vovk, are suspected of getting a $100,000 bribe for Vovk for a favorable decision by the Kyiv District Administrative Court. One of the lawyers was arrested, the bureau said without disclosing their names.
In July 2020 Vovk and the Kyiv District Administrative Court’s other judges were charged in a separate case with organized crime, abuse of power, bribery and unlawful interference with government officials. Vovk denies the accusations.
Vovk is seen by civil society as the epitome of judicial corruption and impunity in Ukraine. The country’s law enforcement system, including judges and prosecutors, has consistently blocked the Vovk case.
In audio recordings published by NABU, a voice alleged to be Vovk’s discusses numerous corrupt deals, gives illegal orders and quips that no one should doubt the court’s “political prostitution.” One of the court’s judges was allegedly recorded as saying that he supports “any lawlessness in the judiciary.”
Andriy Bitsyuk, a judge at the High Anti-Corruption Court, on March 17 refused to extend the corruption investigation against Vovk. According to the Criminal Procedure Code, prosecutors had to either close the investigation or send it to trial within five days.
However, the case was not sent to trial within five days and is now likely to be closed.
