Mykolaiv demands recusal of judge in case of former head of the Medicolegal Expert Commission

In Mykolaiv, a conflict broke out during the trial of the former head of the Medical Expert Commission. The prosecution demanded the judge's recusal, expressing doubts about his impartiality, while the judge himself calls these accusations groundless.

Mikvisti was informed about this.

Prosecutor of the Specialized Defense Prosecutor's Office of the Southern Region Mykhailo Lys initiated the recusal of judge Volodymyr Aleynikov in the criminal proceedings against the former head of Mykolaiv Medical Examiner's Office Vira Belyakova.

Only the prosecution appeared at the hearing - the defendant and her lawyer were absent. The prosecutor presented his arguments, noting that, in his opinion, the actions of the presiding judge went beyond the scope of his procedural powers and may indicate bias.

In particular, the prosecutor pointed out that the court did not proceed to consider the plea agreement on the merits for a long time. Instead, the judge first initiated the announcement of the indictment, after which he proceeded to interrogate the accused and examine written evidence without clearly defining the order of consideration. Only after the prosecutor's remarks did they start to formally move towards analyzing the agreement itself.

The prosecutor also drew attention to the fact that the judge insisted on studying the pre-trial investigation materials, which, according to the prosecution, did not meet the limits of this stage of the trial.

In response, Judge Medyuk said that he had received written explanations from Aleynikov. In them, he sharply criticized the application for recusal, calling it socially dangerous and containing absurd statements. The judge also noted that the allegations of his alleged bias were contrary to logic, as the interests of the parties in this proceeding coincide. In addition, in his explanations, the judge suggested that the prosecutor's actions may indicate an attempt to delay the process and influence the composition of the court.

The prosecutor, in turn, rejected these allegations, noting that the parties' interest in reaching an agreement is natural and cannot be considered a sign of bias. After hearing the positions, Judge Serhiy Medyuk retired to the deliberation room to make a decision on the recusal request.

In early March, Vira Belyakova, the former acting chief physician of the regional medical examination center, who is accused of issuing false documents about the unfitness of a person liable for military service, pleaded guilty. During the hearing, the court considered the possibility of approving the agreement between the accused and the prosecutor's office.

This case received wide publicity after the searches in October 2024. Back then, SBU officers found more than USD 450 thousand, a significant amount of jewelry, and her son's Russian passport on the official's person.

Анна Бальчінос