You're reading: Anti-Corruption Bureau adds controversial judge Vovk to wanted list

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has added one of the country’s most controversial judges, Pavlo Vovk, the head of the Kyiv Administrative District Court, to its wanted list.

Vovk is charged with organized crime, usurpation of power, bribery and unlawful interference in the work of the High Qualification Commission of Judges, a state body that selects and vets judges.

Vovk and five other judges from his court stand accused of arranging fake lawsuits to suspend the mandates of members of the High Qualification Commission. Vovk is also accused of organizing phony hiring competitions to flood the commission with members loyal to him.

On Aug. 12, a day after being added to the wanted list, Vovk wrote on Facebook that he is ready to come in for interrogation.

“I am in Ukraine. I am not hiding from anyone,” he wrote. He denies any wrongdoing.

Hours after Vovk said on Facebook that he isn’t in hiding, he received a subpoena from the NABU. Vovk’s interrogation is scheduled for Aug. 17.

Vovk tapes

On July 17, the Prosecutor General’s Office and NABU published audio recordings implicating Vovk and other judges of his court in alleged crimes.

In the 45-minute audio recording, voices alleged to belong to Vovk and other judges discuss a variety of criminal activities. 

Read More: Case against notorious judges shows dire need of reforming Ukraine’s judiciary.

As a result of the audio, Vovk and five other judges of his court were charged with usurping power by influencing the integrity of the High Qualification Commission.

The judges are Vovk’s deputy Yevhen Ablov, Ihor Pohribnichenko, Ihor Kachur, Bohdan Sanin, Oleksiy Ohurtsov, Volodymyr Keleberda and Mykola Sirosh.

Zenovy Kholodnyuk, head of the State Judicial Administration, was also charged with bribery and organized crime.

All deny wrongdoing.

The State Judicial Administration is responsible for handling day-to-day issues, including financial matters, to support Ukraine’s court system.

In the NABU tapes, Vovk allegedly promises to help Kholodnyuk keep his job in exchange for him appointing a member of the High Qualification Commission loyal to Vovk.

According to NABU, Kholodnyuk appointed Serhiy Ostapets as a member of the commission in May 2019 as part of the deal. Ostapets, who was also charged, was placed on the NABU wanted list together with Vovk.

Pohribnichenko, Kachur, Ohurtsov, Keleberda and Sirosh are also wanted by NABU.

On Aug. 3, the High Anti-Corruption Court released Kholodnyuk without bail. However, the court ruled that the charges against him were valid and instructed the judicial official not to speak to other suspects in the case.