Kyiv’s Solomyansky Court on Nov. 1 released Interior Minister Arsen Avakov’s son Oleksandr, ex-Deputy Interior Minister Serhiy Chebotar and IT firm Turboseo’s CEO Volodymyr Lytvyn, suspects in a graft case, without bail and imposed travel restrictions on them.
The measure was seen by critics as a sign of political interference in the judiciary.
The hearing was attended by dozens of camouflaged supporters of Avakov, who were disparagingly called “titushki”, or pro-government thugs, by his opponents. As a result, there was little room for journalists, and many of them failed to get into the courtroom.
On Oct. 31, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested Avakov, Chebotar and Lytvyn. National Guards and police were brought to the premises searched by the NABU in what critics saw as an attempt to obstruct their work.
The suspects are accused of embezzling Hr 14 million in a case related to the supply of backpacks to the Interior Ministry. The prices of backpacks were significantly higher than market ones, the NABU said.
Video footage has been published on the Internet where Oleksandr Avakov and Chebotar discuss an allegedly corrupt scheme to supply backpacks to the Interior Ministry.
Oleksandr Avakov and ex-Deputy Interior Minister Chebotar discuss an allegedly corrupt deal to supply backpacks.
