The High Anti-Corruption Court on Monday, January 29, canceled the prosecutor’s request to impose penalties on Alexander Liev, the ex-head of the Department of the Ministry of Defense, who was previously accused of embezzling almost 1.5 billion hryvnia intended for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
A “Public” correspondent spoke about this while being present in the courtroom.
Despite the accusations of embezzlement of a large sum, Liev remained confident in the legality of his actions and declared a misunderstanding in his arrest, promising to prove his case.
Prosecutors asked Liev to choose a preventive measure in the form of detention or setting bail in the amount of 268 million hryvnia. However, judge Yaroslav Shkodin, known for his tendency to release corrupt officials, rejected the petition, leaving the suspect at large.
Showman Alexander Pedan and National Security and Defense Council representative Andrei Demartino, who were present in the hall, were ready to take Liev on bail.
It is interesting to note that previously another high-ranking official, former Deputy Minister of Defense Lozinsky, also came under investigation in connection with receiving improper benefits in the amount of $400 thousand.
In this case, the same judge Yaroslav Shkodin decided to place him under house arrest, and then complete release. The question arises: should we see this as a coincidence or a pattern?
As a result of the trial, despite a lot of evidence, Liev remained free, and further steps in the investigation remain uncertain.
