Vsevolod Kniaziev, the Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Ukraine, who has been detained by anti-corruption authorities for allegedly receiving a $2.7-million bribe, appears at a court session about a preventive measure of him in the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, May 18, 2023. REUTERS/Alina Smutko
(Reuters) - The former head of Ukraine's Supreme Court, already dismissed after being detained in a $2.7 million bribery investigation, has been placed in pre-trial detention until July 14, the office of the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor (SAP) said on Thursday.
Kyiv has redoubled efforts to clamp down on corruption despite Russia's invasion, and doing so is vital to meet the conditions for joining the European Union.
Without naming him, the office of the SAP said on its Telegram channel the former chairman of the Supreme Court had the option of paying 107 million hryvnias ($2.9 million) in bail. The court was led until this week by Chief Justice Vsevolod Kniaziev.
The Higher Anti-Corruption Court ruled the suspect should be taken into custody in the courtroom and imposed the "preventive measure" of pre-trial detention until July 14 with the option of the bail, the office of the SAP said.
If the suspect paid the bail, he would be subject to various conditions, it added.
(Reporting by Elaine Monaghan; Editing by Chris Reese)
