The Kyiv court of Appeal has remanded Vyacheslav Boguslaev, former president of Motor Sichi, in custody without bail. He will be held in jail until July 19. This is reported by Suspilne with reference to Boguslaev's lawyer Ruslan Volynets, reports UNN.
Details
According to Boguslaev's lawyer, the prosecutor, despite the completion of the investigation, asked to keep the measure of restraint in force due to the risks of influencing witnesses, fleeing abroad, destroying or distorting evidence, and continuing to commit a crime. Of these, the court supported the first two.
Predictably extended (the measure of restraint - Ed.). Although in fact, regarding the "flight abroad" is a simple logical question. I tell the judges that we now have meetings held once a month, sometimes twice. We have there, conditionally, 40 volumes of the case, 50 witnesses. That is, this is before the verdict, well, at best, three years, or even all five.
ВАКС дозволив конфіскувати активи експрезидента "Мотор Січі" Богуслаєва18.04.24, 16:45
The next hearing on the case will be held in early July. Boguslaev's defense lawyer says that the lawyers, together with Boguslaev, have almost got acquainted with the evidence in the case.
With witnesses, the situation has now gone beyond the established practice. The risk of influencing witnesses is usually removed when the investigation ends and the case is referred to the court. Otherwise, it's a vicious circle. Witnesses will be questioned in two years, and all this time the person is sitting. We suggested in court: let's first interrogate the witnesses, and then examine the evidence. The prosecutor objected, the court supported, while we have such a situation
Recall
In October 2023, the case of ex-president of Motor Sich Boguslaev was sent to court and seized assets worth UAH 12 billion.
Boguslaev was detained by the SBU in October 2022 together with the head of the Department of foreign economic activity of the enterprise.
He is charged with aiding the aggressor state, collaborating, facilitating the activities of a terrorist organization and, more recently, countering the Armed Forces of Ukraine.