You're reading: Court confirms legality of ruling to close cases against ex-head of State Affairs Department Bakay

Kyiv Appeals Court has confirmed the legality of a ruling to close criminal cases against Ihor Bakay, the former head of the State Affairs Department.

"The appeals court didn’t satisfy the appeal by the prosecutor," the press service of Kyiv prosecutor’s office told Interfax-Ukraine and noted this ruling was made on April 14.

Thus, according to the press service, the termination of criminal cases against Bakay was declared legal in line with the appeals procedure.

As reported, Bakay headed the State Affairs Department from October 2003 until December 2004. At the beginning of 2005 the Interior Ministry of Ukraine put him on the state wanted list on charges of committing violations at his department.

In 2006, Kyiv Pechersk Court ruled to terminate the investigation. Kyiv Court of Appeals made the same ruling in 2007.

On October 16, 2008, the Supreme Court of Ukraine canceled the ruling by the Pechersk and Appeals Courts of Kyiv on the termination of criminal case against Bakay on his misuse of authorities, and sent the case to Pechersk Court for consideration.

Bakay left Ukraine during the presidential elections in 2004. In March 2005, he obtained Russian citizenship and, according to him, a job as a Russian state official.

On March 23, 2010, Kyiv Pechersk Court closed criminal cases against Bakay. Kyiv Prosecutor’s Office submitted an appeal against this decision.