Scandalous judge Kholodniuk placed on leave

A judge with the High Anti-Corruption Court of
Ukraine, Oksana Oliynyk, ruled on Oct. 1 in favor of a request by a NABU detective
to place on leave for two months Zenoviy Kholodniuk, the head of the State
Judicial Administration who is directly implicated in a corruption scandal
involving Kyiv District Administrative Judge Pavlo Vovk, reported the Zero
Corruption Telegram channel. Investigators of the National Anti-Corruption
Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) have alleged that Vovk and Kholodniuk plotted schemes,
also involving other other judges, to seize power and control of key state
institutions, including the Higher Qualifications Commission of Judges. For
example, in exchange for guaranteeing a loyal nominee to the commission,
Kholodniuk gained Vovk’s support for remaining in his post, despite a
competition having already determined his replacement.

Recall, the Higher Council of Justice ruled on Sept. 1 to reject a request
by the Prosecutor General’s Office to place on leave Vovk and five judges of
his court pending a corruption investigation. Incidentally, the Higher Council
of Justice is among the judicial institutions that Vovk is alleged to have
illegally taken control over in his political conspiracies.

Zenon Zawada: It’s such
rulings (placing Kholodniuk on leave) that had been the aim of the IMF when
requiring the establishment of an independent judicial system in Ukraine,
particularly once the High Anti-Corruption Court was launched in April 2019.
And it’s apparent that these independent bodies will be the only source of
justice in the Vovk gang scandal, even if Vovk’s tentacles of corruption have
allegedly extended into the IMF-endorsed bodies.

We can’t offer an assessment of the likelihood of
Vovk, Kholodniuk et al. being prosecuted for their alleged crimes. But the case
is so important (because of the abundance and severe implications of the
evidence) that we expect vigorous efforts from the IMF-endorsed bodies. If the
charges are proven true and convictions are reached, that would be a game-changer
in fighting corruption and establishing rule of law in Ukraine. No judge of
Vovk’s rank has ever been made to face such criminal charges.