Position: Chief Judge of the Rozhyshchensky District Court.
Sphere of corruption: judicial sphere.
Region of corruption activity: Volyn region.
Qualification: under Part 4 of Article 27, Part 2 of Article 15, Part 3 of Article 369 and Part 3 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (extortion of unlawful benefit, fraud).
Status: the issue of choosing a preventive measure is being resolved.
The plot of the case: in mid-July 2025, the head of a district court in Volyn and his accomplice were exposed for inciting bribery. The suspects demanded money from a local resident for making a "necessary" decision in a civil case.
According to the investigation, the suspects incited a local resident to provide an improper benefit to one of the judges for making a "necessary" decision in a civil case. However, they had no plans to negotiate with the judge, and the decision was in favor of the applicant anyway.
The suspects divided the money they received among themselves. To hide the crime, they exchanged one part of the bribe at a currency exchange office, and the other part at another acquaintance. The investigators do not specify the amount of the bribe, but in the published photo, at least 2,800 dollars, 600 euros, and 200 zlotys can be seen near one of the suspects.
According to investigative journalist Taras Seredych, the person detained for taking a bribe is the chief judge of the Rozhyshchenskyi District Court, 51-year-old Ivan Silich. He was elected as the head of the court in April 2024. Prior to that, the suspect had already headed the same institution since 2011 for four consecutive terms.
The actions of the court chairman and the mediator were classified under Part 4 of Article 27, Part 2 of Article 15, Part 3 of Article 369 and Part 3 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (extortion of unlawful benefit, fraud). The suspects face up to eight years in prison.
At the end of August, the High Council of Justice suspended until September 15 the judge of the Rozhyshchenskyi District Court of the Volyn region, Ivan Silich, from administering justice due to suspicion of receiving illegal benefits.
The High Council of Justice decided: to partially satisfy the petition of the Deputy Prosecutor General - Head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office Klymenko Oleksandr Vasylovych. To temporarily suspend until September 15 the judge of the Rozhyshchenskyi District Court of the Volyn region, Silich Ivan Ivanovych, from administering justice in connection with being brought to criminal liability
Persons potentially involved in corruption schemes: Open sources only mention an acquaintance named Silich, who also participated in the corruption scheme. However, his name is not disclosed.
Assets: Ivan Silich declared 1,528,961 hryvnia in salary and 400,000 hryvnia in cash for 2024. He does not own any other property.
On the other hand, the judge's wife, Oksana Silich, owns a considerable amount of real estate. She owns four land plots with a total area of 0.42 hectares in Zmiyinka, where she also has a service station of 356 square meters, a house of 128 square meters, and an unfinished outbuilding of 144 square meters.
The family uses two cars: a 2016 Infiniti QX60 crossover belongs to Oksana Silich, and a 2010 Volvo XC90 belongs to Lyubov Silich.
Persons who should have reacted: law enforcement agencies responded in a timely manner to the criminal activities of Silich and his acquaintance, handing them suspicions.
Scandals: According to local media, in 2019, the Public Integrity Council issued a conclusion on Judge Silic's non-compliance with the criteria of integrity and professional ethics.
The Council's conclusion stated, in particular, that the judge made a decision in favor of a certain person, allowed judicial red tape, which led to a violation of the terms of consideration of the case, allowed a selective approach to resolving cases involving the prosecution of drivers for driving under the influence of alcohol, and unjustifiably failed to declare property belonging to his wife and daughters. After Silich's explanations, the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine recognized him as corresponding to the position he held.
Sources:
https://zaxid.net/golovu_sudu_na_volini_vikrili_na_habari_n1614801
https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2025/07/16/7522050
https://sylapravdy.com/golovu-sudu-rajonnogo-na-volyni-vykryly-na-habari
https://public.nazk.gov.ua/documents/626ca133-4395-4e08-aedb-94e3d2831296