Court leaves ex-Supreme Court head Kniaziev in custody for two months

That's according to the press service of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, Ukrinform reports.

"On July 11, 2023, the investigating judge of the High Anti-Corruption Court granted the request of the NABU detectives, approved by the SAPO prosecutor, and extended the term of the measure of restraint for the former Supreme Court head in the form of detention with the possibility of posting bail of UAH 75 million. The measure of restraint is in place until September 8, 2023," the report said.

If the bail is put up, the suspect will be charged with a number of procedural obligations, including the obligation to come to the investigator when required, not to leave his place of residence and to deposit his foreign passports.

On May 15, Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) said they had exposed a corruption scheme involving the leadership and judges of the Supreme Court of Ukraine. The law enforcement officers detained the head of the Supreme Court, Kniaziev, and seized $2.7 million.

On May 16, 2023, during a plenary session of the Supreme Court, 140 judges supported a motion of no confidence in Kniaziev. The judges also adopted a resolution of the plenary session of the Supreme Court on the termination of Kniaziev's powers as head of Ukraine's Supreme Court.

On May 17, the High Anti-Corruption Court rejected a complaint lodged by Kniaziev's defense team against his detention.

On May 18, the High Council of Justice supported a motion from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office for permission to keep Kniaziev in custody. The same day, HACC chose a measure of restraint for Kniaziev in the form of detention with the possibility of posting UAH 107.3 million bail.

On May 31, HACC's Appeals Chamber reduced the amount of bail for Kniaziev to UAH 75 million.

On May 26, the plenum elected Stanislav Kravchenko as the new head of the Supreme Court. Prior to that, he headed the Criminal Court of Cassation as part of the Supreme Court of Ukraine.