Supreme Court Upholds Seizure of Unexplained Asset
Ukraine's Supreme Court has definitively ruled in favor of confiscating an unjustified asset used by the family of Oleksandr Kotiukh, deputy head of the Poltava Regional Territorial Recruitment Center (TCC) and Social Support Department. The court overturned a previous appellate decision from the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) and reinstated the original ruling, which declared the asset—a three-room apartment in central Poltava valued at over 1.9 million Ukrainian hryvnias—as unlawfully acquired.
Court Decision and Its Implications
The Civil Court of Cassation within the Supreme Court sided with the prosecutor from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO). Although the apartment is legally registered under Kotiukh's mother, evidence showed it was effectively used by the official and his family members. Records indicate that Kotiukh's mother purchased the property in 2023 but lacked sufficient legal income to afford such a transaction.
On January 20, 2025, a panel of HACC judges initially granted the SAPO prosecutor's lawsuit. However, on May 12, 2025, the HACC Appeals Chamber reversed that decision. The SAPO prosecutor then challenged the appellate ruling in cassation, leading to the Supreme Court's final, non-appealable verdict. The lawsuit was based on materials from the National Agency for Corruption Prevention (NACP) and evidence independently gathered by the prosecutor in accordance with legal procedures.
This Supreme Court ruling underscores the critical importance of Ukraine's ongoing fight against corruption.
The Kotiukh case may serve as a cautionary example for other officials, highlighting the necessity of complying with the law and maintaining financial transparency, especially amid heightened scrutiny of corruption risks in the public sector.
In light of the recent Supreme Court ruling against Oleksandr Kotiukh, the ongoing efforts of Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies have come into sharper focus. Similar to this case, authorities are also pursuing the seizure of assets linked to other officials, such as in the recent initiative to confiscate a judge's apartments in Kyiv valued at UAH 6.8 million. These actions highlight the broader commitment to combating corruption and ensuring accountability within the government. For more details on this related case, click here.