Judicial Experts Face Allegations
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) together with the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) have charged forensic experts from the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Examinations (KNDISE), under the Ministry of Justice, with submitting false evaluations concerning the value of an apartment owned by the spouse of a senior Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) official. In December 2023, the apartment was purchased for 21.6 million UAH, yet the contract reflected a significantly lower price of 12.8 million UAH. The experts deliberately undervalued the property’s market price, and their reports were subsequently used in court proceedings and by law enforcement agencies.
Apartment Valuation Discrepancy
In April 2024, the couple’s attorney requested a property and construction assessment from KNDISE. By May 2024, the expert panel issued a report stating the apartment’s market value at 12.3 million UAH—a figure 9.3 million UAH below the actual purchase price. The experts based their conclusions on inappropriate comparable properties and capped the value of similar units at $2,500–$2,600 per square meter, which is below the prevailing market rate of $3,000 per square meter. Their analysis selectively relied on the cheapest offers starting at $1,550 per square meter, disregarding other relevant comparables.
In November 2024, NABU detectives formally withdrew the commission’s expert examination before its completion. However, the experts ignored this directive and proceeded with their evaluation. At the beginning of December 2024, they finalized and signed their report, dated November 8, 2024. Notably, NABU received a copy of this report from the suspect’s lawyer rather than directly from KNDISE. NABU leadership emphasizes the urgent need to establish an independent forensic institution to mitigate corruption risks and improve the integrity of investigations into high-profile corruption cases.
This case highlights the critical importance of impartial and reliable expert assessments in judicial processes, particularly in the fight against corruption-related crimes.
The identified irregularities pose serious implications not only for the accused parties but also for the credibility of Ukraine’s justice system as a whole. Creating an autonomous expert body could prove pivotal in combating corruption and restoring public trust in the judiciary.