HACC arrested ex-Deputy Head of President’s Office

The High Anti-Corruption Court has changed the preventive measure for the former deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Smirnov, and sent him to custody until May 22. He also has the opportunity to post bail of 18 million hryvnias. The former official is suspected of legalizing illegally acquired funds and accepting offers to receive a bribe in an especially large amount.

This is reported by "Suspilne".

The prosecution requested that Smirnov be held in custody with the alternative of bail of over 20 million hryvnias. For his part, the former owner's lawyer stated that the investigation did not provide evidence of money laundering.

The risks that are grounds for such a preventive measure (detention) are also not stated. This request is not justified. The investigation has been going on for half a year, and there is no new evidence in the case.

After hearing the arguments of the parties, the HACC partially granted the prosecutor's motion and took the former deputy head of the OPU into custody in the courtroom with the alternative of bail of 18 million hryvnias. The HACC sent the former deputy head of the OPU Smirnov to a pre-trial detention center

Commenting on the court's decision in a comment to Suspilny, Smirnov stated that he would "prove his innocence."

I consider it (the court's decision) unfair. I will fight and prove my innocence. I have my own beliefs and guesses about who is behind this, but I think it is not worth discussing. But we will prove that we are right

Andriy Smirnov  is a figure in the EBK database.

We previously wrote that  new details became known in the case of former deputy head of the OP Smirnov.