NABU detained a former judge who had been hiding for more than three years after a bribery sentence

Detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine detained former judge of the Babushkinsky District Court of Dnipro Andrey Leonov, who had been evading execution of a bribery sentence for more than three years.

This was reported by NABU. According to the agency, the whereabouts of the former judge were established as a result of a complex of operational-search measures. After the detention, he was already taken to a pre-trial detention center.

The case against Leonov began back in 2018. The investigation established that the judge demanded $30 thousand in unlawful benefit and received part of this amount. For the money, he promised to recognize a farming enterprise as a victim in criminal proceedings, as well as to issue a decision without imprisonment in a case of raiding and document forgery.

In March 2023, the High Anti-Corruption Court found the former judge guilty and sentenced him to 11 years of imprisonment with a prohibition to hold the position of judge for three years and confiscation of all property belonging to him.

In November of the same year, the Appeals Chamber of the HACC upheld the sentence. The court indicated that Leonov was accused of demanding $30 thousand and receiving $15 thousand for making a certain decision in criminal proceedings.

However, the former judge did not appear for the announcement of the sentence and the appeal review. In June 2023, NABU officially put him on the wanted list.

According to NABU, during the search, Leonov carefully concealed his whereabouts. He hid in secret rooms, traveled along low-traffic routes, used cars with altered license plates and two-wheeled transport. In some cases, the former judge even wore the uniform of the National Police to avoid attracting attention.

After the detention, Leonov must begin serving the sentence imposed by the court.