Judge Serhiy Vysotskyi Faces Criminal Charges Over ₴150K Bribe Scheme

The measure of restraint imposed on Serhiy Vysotskyi, a judge of the Bolhrad District Court of Odesa Region, suspected of incitement to provide an illegal benefit to public officials, was chosen in the form of a personal commitment.

The High Anti-Corruption Court adopted the relevant ruling on March 6, but it was made public only in April.

The court thus partially granted the motion of the prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, who insisted on extending the round-the-clock house arrest for the judge before the case was brought to court.

Sergiy Vysotsky was also imposed with the usual obligations in this case: to appear at the request of the investigator; to deposit his passports; to refrain from communicating directly and indirectly with certain persons; and to wear an electronic bracelet.

On March 11, the High Council of Justice decided to dismiss Judge Serhiy Vysotskyi of the Bolhradskyi District Court of Odesa Region for committing a significant disciplinary offense.

In October last year, the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine refused to satisfy the motion of the lawyers of Judge Serhiy V ysotskyi of the Bolhradskyi District Court of Odesa Region to close the criminal proceedings against him.

In June of the same year, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine sent to court a case on charges of incitement to provide an illegal benefit and committing fraudulent actions aimed at obtaining it, against a judge of the Bolhrad District Court of Odesa Region, Serhiy Vysotskyi.

The judge persuaded the citizen to offer and provide USD 4 thousand of bribe to two other judges for allegedly making the necessary decisions in cases of bringing to administrative responsibility.

Subsequently, the judge received the funds allegedly to be transferred to his colleagues, but instead disposed of them at his own discretion.

In April 2024, the High Council of Justice extended the temporary suspension from the administration of justice of Serhii Vysotskyi, a judge of the Bolhrad District Court of Odesa Region, for another two months.

On April 1, prosecutors completed the pre-trial investigation of the case and opened the investigation materials for defense lawyers to review. The High Council of Justice temporarily suspended the judge from administering justice in connection with the criminal prosecution on February 19.

He was detained on February 9, 2024. If proven guilty, the judge faces up to eight years in prison with or without confiscation of property.

Кирило Бойко