Case description
On October 7, 2021, the HACC found Pavlo Medentsev, ex-judge of the Commercial Court of Odesa Oblast, guilty of receiving a bribe of more than half a million hryvnias. He was sentenced in absentia to 9 years with confiscation of all property and a ban on holding certain positions for three years.
On February 19, 2014, the Commercial Court of Odesa Oblast received a case on the claim of PE Smartkom against PJSC Insurance Company Harantia to recover UAH 2.3 mln of insurance indemnity.
Medentsev demanded money from the head of this private enterprise for partial satisfaction of the claims. He estimated such a “service” at UAH 570,000 and received a bribe in three tranches (twice in his office).
After the first tranche, the head of the enterprise appealed to law enforcement officers because she suspected that it was judge Medentsev who would sign the necessary ruling. Subsequently, law enforcement officers handed the money to the whistleblower, and the ex-judge was caught on April 1, 2014, after receiving the last UAH 270,000 of the bribe. This money was confiscated, but whether the first two parts of the bribe were seized is unknown.
Unfortunately, Medentsev managed to escape before his detention was approved by parliamentarians. Presumably, he is still hiding in Russia.
The HACC qualified this crime under Article 368, part 5 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The court heard this case in the absence of the accused; Medentsev was sentenced to 9 years in prison in absentia with special confiscation of all property and deprivation of the right to hold judicial and other positions for 3 years.
The ex-judge's lawyer filed an appeal, but as a result of its consideration, the verdict of first instance remained in force.
