Demanded a bribe for lifting the arrest of timber: a judge exposed in Zakarpattia
Kyiv • UNN
A judge of a district court in Zakarpattia Oblast is suspected of demanding 1,300 US dollars for lifting the arrest of 20 cubic meters of timber. The investigation is ongoing, and the judge faces up to 10 years in prison.
Law enforcement officers have notified a judge of one of the district courts of Zakarpattia Oblast of suspicion of soliciting and receiving an unlawful benefit. This is reported by UNN with reference to the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office.
Details
Investigators from the SAP and NABU established that the judge, between September 15 and November 28, 2025, requested the director of a private company to provide him and third parties with an unlawful benefit for lifting the arrest and returning property to the company for safekeeping. This refers to 20 cubic meters of timber.
The judge provided advice on preparing a petition to lift the arrest of property and detailed instructions on when to file it to avoid its distribution to another investigating judge for consideration.
On November 28, the judge was exposed receiving a $1,300 unlawful benefit, which he veiledly referred to as "candies." The investigation is currently ongoing.
Sanction of Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Acceptance of an offer, promise, or receipt of an unlawful benefit by an official on a large scale) provides for imprisonment from five to ten years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years, with confiscation of property.
Recall
The SBI reported suspicion to the acting director of the state enterprise "Enterprise of the State Criminal Executive Service of Ukraine (No. 98)" for demanding 10% "kickbacks."