You're reading: Volha’s defense team to appeal against verdict of Kyiv Court of Appeals

The defense team of former Head of the State Commission for Financial Service Markets Regulation Vasyl Volha will file a cassation appeal against the decision of Kyiv Court of Appeals to uphold the verdict by Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky District Court, which found Volha guilty of an attempt to take a bribe, and sentenced him to five years in prison. 

“Of course, we will keep defending our clients’ interests. Of course, we will file a cassation appeal and appeal to the European Court of Human Rights,” Volha’s defense lawyer Yevhen Solodko said.

The lawyer also said that a relevant commission at the State Penitentiary Service would decide where Volha should serve his sentence.

As reported, Volha was detained on July 19, 2011. On July 21, 2011, it was reported that a criminal case had been opened against Volha under Article 368 of the Criminal Code on suspicion of receiving a $500,000 bribe under preliminary collusion with a group of individuals.

On July 25, 2011, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych dismissed Volha as head of the State Commission for the Regulation of Financial Services Markets “due to a violation of the oath of a civil servant.”

On September 24, 2012, Shevchenkivsky District Court in Kyiv found Volha guilty of attempting to take a bribe and sentenced him to five years in prison, without the confiscation of his property. According to the verdict, Volha was banned for three years from holding managerial, administrative and executive posts in organizations and institutions of all forms of ownership.

On January 15, 2013, Kyiv Court of Appeals upheld the verdict by Shevchenkivsky District Court in Kyiv, which found former Head of the State Commission for Financial Service Markets Regulation Vasyl Volha guilty of an attempt to take a bribe, and sentenced him to five years in prison.

The full text of the court’s ruling will be read aloud on January 22 at 1500.