On September 10, 2024, Tetiana Balas, judge of the Kyiv District Administrative Court, was summoned for questioning as a witness in the case of Donets and Zontov.
At the hearing, she stated that she didn’t know Donets, Zontov, and the whistleblower Kovalenko, but she knew the notorious KAC ex-head Vovk. By the way, the latter is the brother of the accused Zontov, but so far, the court has not summoned him for questioning.
It was Balas who considered the lawsuit of ALC IC Axe Capital to the State Tax Service regarding recognition of a tax notice-decision as illegal and its cancellation. The case was scheduled for consideration, but after searches in the judge's office, she announced that she would recuse herself. In addition, the searches took place under a strict quarantine, so Balas was not at work, and the case was then assigned to another judge of the KAC—Karmazin.
The NABU suspects two lawyers—Yurii Zontov and Yurii Donets—of inciting the liquidator of Axe Capital to pay a USD 100,000 bribe to Vovk, judge of the KAC. The HACC continues hearing the case of Donets and Zontov.