A judge convicted of bribery remains in office

The judge, convicted of bribery, remains the head of the Tyvri court, despite the HACC verdict

Judge Ihor Ratushnyak, who was sentenced by the Higher Anti-Corruption Court in December 2023 to seven years in prison for accepting a bribe in the amount of $4,620, continues to head the Tyvriv District Court of the Vinnytsia Region. He was re-elected head of the court for another three years, despite the fact that the sentence is currently being appealed.

Slidstvo.Info informs about this.

Ihor Ratushniak became famous due to a corruption scandal in which he is accused of extorting a bribe in 2021. According to the investigation materials, the judge valued each hectare of land at 40,000 hryvnias and agreed to recognize ownership of more than 3 hectares for a total of 120,000 hryvnias, which was equivalent to $4,620 at the time. NABU, together with the National Police, documented two stages of the transfer of funds in the amount of $3,000 and $1,620.

In December 2023, the Supreme Court issued a sentence by which Ratushniak was sentenced to seven years in prison, confiscation of property, and a three-year ban on holding positions in state and local self-government bodies. However, the sentence has not yet entered into force, as the judge is appealing.

Ratushnyak himself calls the case against him an order, claiming that the conflict with the mother of People's Deputy Iryna Borzova led to persecution. According to him, accusations of bribery are not supported by evidence, and even a law enforcement agent did not confirm the fact that he demanded an illegal benefit.

Despite the verdict, Ratushniak remains the head of the court and believes in the fairness of the appeal proceedings. He also notes that the Supreme Court overturns a large part of the VAKS verdicts, and hopes that this will happen in his case as well.

We will remind you that Ihor Ratushnyak is a member of the EBK base.