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The case of bribery of fugitive ex-judge Ruslan Yukhymuk from Sievierodonetsk

  • Date of commencement of the case: 12/04/2021
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The case of bribery of fugitive ex-judge Ruslan Yukhymuk from Sievierodonetsk The case of bribery of fugitive ex-judge Ruslan Yukhymuk from Sievierodonetsk

Case description

On November 8, 2022, the HACC found Ruslan Yukhymuk, a former judge of the Sievierodonetsk City Court, guilty in absentia of forgery, receiving a USD 4,000 bribe for “dodging jail,” and illegal possession of ammunition.

In 2015, Yukhymuk considered the prosecutor's office's motion to determine the term of the convicted person's unexpired sentence and transfer him to the Starobilsk pre-trial detention center. The man was sentenced to 5 years in prison, which he began to serve in the Petrovska Corrective Labor Colony No. 24. When the colony was seized by the “LPR” militants, the convict was released on parole.

The Ukrainian prosecutor's office initiated his serving the remainder of the sentence. The convict arrived at the court and met with Yukhymuk's accomplice, Akhmedov Alikhman, who planned to offer “help” in avoiding prison: he promised to negotiate with the judge to dismiss the prosecutor's motion for a USD 2,000 bribe. Since the convict did not have that kind of money, he was offered to lift the seizure of his car, which could be sold, using forged documents. The judge and his accomplice also estimated this service at USD 2,000. The total amount of the improper advantage amounted to USD 4,000.

The convict appealed to the SSU and then transferred the money in several tranches to an intermediary, who shared it with the judge. In mid-December 2015, Yukhymuk's office and home were searched: in addition to the marked banknotes, 11 rounds of 9-mm ammunition made in 1951 were found, which he was keeping illegally.

Due to judicial immunity, Yukhymuk could not be detained. He managed to escape by travelling to Russia in January 2016 through the Prosiane checkpoint. He never returned, and the Verkhovna Rada authorized his detention only in April 2016

Akhmedov Alikhman, judge's accomplice, concluded a plea agreement. In 2017, the court found him guilty and sentenced him to 3 years in prison.

Judge Yukhymuk's actions were classified under Article 368, part 3; Article 358, part 3; Article 263, part 1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. He was sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property and a 3-year ban on holding the position of judge. The appellate instance upheld the verdict in absentia.

  • Proceeding No.: 42015051110000062
  • Case No.: 760/11359/16-к
  • Incriminated: Article 368, part 3, Article 369-2, part 2, Article 368, part 1
Instance Key parties Instance /Key parties:
HACC AC
15/12/2022

Panel of judges: Panaid I.V.

HACC
12/04/2021

Panel of judges: Sikora K.O., Kryklyva T.H., Tanasevych O.V.

Prosecutor: Kozachyna S.S., Drobotova Ye.V.

Infographics

THE CASE OF RUSLAN YUKHYMUK

Ruslan Yukhymuk, Sievierodonetsk ex-judge, received a USD 4,000 bribe for helping a man dodge jail and lifting the seizure of his property. In addition, illegally stored ammunition was found during the search.

  • pic
    December 2015
    Yukhymuk received bribes, consistently lifted the arrest from the car and refused to transfer the convict to a pre-trial detention center to continue serving his sentence
  • December 16, 2015
    during a search on Yukhymuk’s premises, law enforcement officers found and seized a bribe and illegally stored ammunition
  • January 23, 2016
    Yukhymuk left Ukraine for Russia with judicial immunity
  • April 19, 2016
    the Verkhovna Rada allowed detaining judge Yukhymuk
  • October 17, 2017
    the HCJ dismissed Yukhymuk from the post of judge
  • April 10, 2020
    the HACC put Yukhymuk on the wanted list
  • pic
    November 8, 2022
    the HACC found Yukhymuk guilty and sentenced him to 10 years with additional penalties in absentia
  • pic
    March 28, 2023
    the HACC Appeals Chamber upheld the first instance verdict in absentia

Decisions from the Register

Case No. Court Decision date Decision type
760/11359/16-к HACC 25/10/2019
760/11359/16-к HACC 19/11/2019
760/11359/16-к HACC 21/11/2019
760/11359/16-к HACC 28/11/2019
760/11359/16-к HACC 17/01/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 17/01/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 30/01/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 30/01/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 30/01/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 30/01/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 17/02/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 17/02/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 27/02/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 27/02/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 06/04/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 06/04/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 10/04/2020 On the imposition of an interim measure in the form of detention
760/11359/16-к HACC 10/04/2020 On the imposition of an interim measure in the form of detention
760/11359/16-к HACC 23/11/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 30/11/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 30/11/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 30/11/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 30/11/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 23/12/2020
760/11359/16-к HACC 27/01/2021
760/11359/16-к HACC 15/02/2021
760/11359/16-к HACC 16/02/2021
760/11359/16-к HACC 16/02/2021
760/11359/16-к HACC 17/02/2021
760/11359/16-к HACC 22/02/2021
760/11359/16-к HACC 22/02/2021 Decision on closing the criminal proceedings
760/11359/16-к HACC 22/02/2021
760/11359/16-к HACC 22/02/2021 Decision on closing the criminal proceedings
760/11359/16-к HACC 05/03/2021
760/11359/16-к HACC 18/03/2021
760/11359/16-к HACC 12/04/2021
760/11359/16-к HACC 12/04/2021
760/11359/16-к HACC 12/04/2021
760/11359/16-к HACC 12/04/2021 On the appointment of a trial
760/11359/16-к HACC 12/04/2021 On the appointment of a trial
760/11359/16-к HACC 12/04/2021
760/11359/16-к HACC 31/01/2022
760/11359/16-к HACC 08/11/2022 Verdicts
760/11359/16-к HACC AC 15/12/2022 Opening of appeal proceedings
760/11359/16-к HACC AC 16/01/2023
760/11359/16-к HACC 28/03/2023 Verdicts
760/11359/16-к HACC AC 28/03/2023 On partial granting of the appeal and change of the verdict, Decision on partial granting of appeals
760/11359/16-к HACC AC 28/03/2023 Decision on partial granting of appeals, On partial granting of the appeal and change of the verdict