Disciplinary Chamber Moves to Dismiss Judge Lyudmyla Saltan Over Bribery Case

The Disciplinary Chamber demands the dismissal of judge Lyudmyla Saltan of the Kyiv District Court of Odesa, who was removed from justice for extortion.

This was reported by the High Council of Justice.

On February 26, a meeting of the Second Disciplinary Chamber of the High Council of Justice was held. While considering the issues on the agenda, the chamber made a decision on the disciplinary case of judge of the Kyiv District Court of Odesa, Lyudmyla Saltan. The proposal of the Chamber member Serhii Burlakov to suspend consideration of the case until the verdict enters into force was rejected.

Instead, the Chamber decided to bring Judge Saltan to disciplinary responsibility and impose a penalty in the form of a motion for her dismissal.

"To bring the judge of the Kyiv District Court of Odesa, Saltaan Liudmyla Volodymyrivna, to disciplinary responsibility and to impose a disciplinary sanction in the form of a motion for dismissal from office," the statement reads.

In March 2023, Saltan found herself at the center of a scandal: according to the High Council of Justice, she offered one of the parties to a civil case a $4,000 bribe in exchange for a favorable decision, according to which the defendant had to pay the plaintiff $14,200 and 15,000 hryvnias. The judge directly told the plaintiff in her office that the money should be brought as soon as possible, as she would soon be going on vacation. The plaintiff refused the bribe and filed a complaint with the NABU.

After the bribery scandal, Saltan was mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. However, her military unit complained about her drinking.

In June, the HACC refused to order an expert examination in the case of judge Lyudmyla Saltan of the Kyiv District Court of Odesa, who is accused of taking a $4,000 bribe. On April 13, the HACC investigating judge, at the request of NABU detectives, agreed upon by the SAPO prosecutor, imposed a bail of two million hryvnias on the judge.

The investigation was completed on May 22. The NABU detectives were instructed to open the case file to the defense, and after the defense lawyers and the suspect had reviewed the case file, the case was sent to court.

Ірина Глухова