29 August 2024, Thursday, 19:50 940

Kolomoiskyi's arrest in PrivatBank case changed to UAH 1.8 billion bail

Editor: Tetiana Herasimova

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The Shevchenkivskyi District Court of the city of Kyiv has granted the request of the prosecutor to change the preventive measure against Ihor Kolomoiskyi from detention to bail in the amount of UAH 1,877,360,000.

This follows from the court’s statement on Facebook, the Ukrainian News agency reports.

The need to change the preventive measure by the detective in the petition is substantiated by the requirements of Part 3 of Art. 197 of the CPC of Ukraine.

Thus, the specified norm of the Criminal Procedure Law stipulates that the maximum term of detention of a person during a pre-trial investigation should not exceed, in particular, 12 months, in criminal proceedings for serious and especially serious crimes.

"In connection with the fact that the maximum period of detention within the framework of a pre-trial investigation within the framework of criminal proceedings expires on September 2, 2024, we believe that it is necessary to change this preventive measure. We believe that the risks that were established by previous decisions by the investigation judges continue to exist. In particular, it is necessary to pay attention to the risk of concealment from the pre-trial investigation body and the court," the prosecutor said during the meeting.

The defense, on the other hand, said that the prosecution did not provide any document that would confirm that Kolomoiskyi gave relevant instructions to anyone or coordinated any actions. The lawyers also drew attention to the size of the bail that the prosecution is asking for Ihor Kolomoiskyi.

"This level of bail in the sense of the current legislation is excessive. This has been repeatedly confirmed by facts that are indisputable. There is a relevant decision where Ihor Valeriiovych acts as a defendant. It clearly defines the limitations in terms of his personal expenses. Given that he is limited to the amount of GBP 20,000 per week - accordingly, he cannot pay a higher amount of bail," the lawyers explained.

The lawyers also explained that during the year Kolomoiskyi was in custody and did not post bail. According to the lawyers, this shows that the amount of the bail is excessive for the Ukrainian businessman and he will not be able to pay it this time either.

When asked by the judge what level of bail Ihor Kolomoiskyi considers appropriate, the businessman replied that he does not see the expediency of posting bail at all.

After hearing the arguments of the prosecution and defense, the judge decided to grant the prosecutor's request.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, the Bureau of Economic Security completed the investigation into Kolomoiskyi in the case of UAH 5.3 billion.

Kolomoiskyi stayed in the pre-trial detention center of the SSU from September 2, 2023, when the Shevchenkivskyi District Court arrested him with a bail of UAH 509 million, later the bail was increased to almost UAH 4 billion. Later, the bail was reduced, but Kolomoiskyi remained in custody, since no one paid a bail for him.

The Security Service of Ukraine, the Bureau of Economic Security and the Prosecutor General's Office uncovered new facts of the criminal activity of the owner of a large financial and industrial group, Ihor Kolomoiskyi, and informed him of a new suspicion of embezzlement and misappropriation of UAH 5.8 billion.

Subsequently, the NACB detectives, with the approval of the head of the SACPO, informed Kolomoiskyi about the suspicion of embezzlement of the bank's funds in the amount of more than UAH 9.2 billion.

He was also informed of the suspicion by representatives of the National Police due to the order for the murder of a lawyer 20 years ago. Kolomoiskyi was then arrested without bail on a murder charge. He is facing a life sentence for organizing the murder in 2003.