Top judicial official suspended over bribery charges

The High Anti-Corruption Court has suspended the head of the State Judicial Administration Oleksii Salnikov, who had been charged with inciting bribery, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) reported on Aug. 15.

Salnikov was charged on July 24 for taking part in a bribery scheme to ensure favorable rulings by Supreme Court judges with the involvement of the court's former head Vsevolod Kniazev.

According to the SAPO's earlier report, the official allegedly received $7,500, of which $5,000 was to be used as a bribe for the judges. Salnikov himself was reportedly supposed to keep the remaining $2,500 for mediating the scheme.

After Kniazev was charged with taking a $3 million bribe, the State Judicial Administration's head avoided bringing the scheme to completion but did not return the bribe he had received.

On July 28, the High Anti-Corruption Court set a Hr 805,200 ($21,800) bail for Salnikov.

Kniazev has been dismissed from his position and detained after the NABU and the SAPO charged him with accepting $3 million to rule in favor of Ukrainian billionaire Kostyantyn Zhevago.

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