The NABU and SAPO accuse Vitalii Ozerov, a judge of the Starobilsk District Court in Luhansk region, of accepting a bribe and abusing his office.

According to the case file, in August 2018, Judge Ozerov received a UAH 10.2 thousand bribe to avoid holding a citizen administratively responsible and closing the case. The investigation confirmed that the judge personally accepted the bribe and used his position to evade accountability. Later, the HCJ temporarily suspended him from administering justice until the verdict takes effect.

The judge is charged under Article 368, Part 3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. If convicted, he faces 5 to 10 years in prison.