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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
🚫 Tomato judge and hideouts in the hands of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
⚖️ Pavlohrad District Court judge of Dnipropetrovsk region Oleksandr Shcherbyna was found guilty of soliciting and receiving a bribe.
NABU released a photo of a clear bag allegedly containing tomatoes, in which folded dollar bills lay. Shcherbyna himself asked his interlocutor to put 1 thousand dollars there. Although he feared cameras and possible exposure. Earlier the judge received 1 thousand dollars in the courthouse when a man placed the funds in a folder with documents. He valued an acquittal verdict for the director of a construction firm in this sum; that director had been tried for possible violations while performing work ordered by Pavlohrad City Council.
In his statement to NABU the man explained that once after a hearing the judge asked him to stay behind. And during the conversation he said that if he wanted “everything to be fine” and for there to be an acquittal, money was needed — 2 thousand dollars.
Materials from the NRSD show that Shcherbyna repeatedly communicated with the defendant outside of proceedings, discussing the forthcoming decision. He advised changing the defender — to hire his former assistant as counsel. This lawyer was supposed to write the acquittal verdict, not the judge. The judge’s assistant testified in VAKS that she prepared about 90% of the verdicts in Shcherbyna’s cases. But in that case the judge brought her the text of the verdict on a flash drive.
17 July 2025 the last court session and Shcherbyna’s exit to the deliberation room were planned. But the prosecutor did not appear.
The judge personally dictated to the defendant a complaint against the prosecutor. He instructed the man on what to say at the hearing. A week and a half later the hearing did take place and Shcherbyna issued an acquittal verdict. And that same day a search was carried out in his office.
Shcherbyna partly admitted guilt. He said it pains and upsets him that he committed this crime, but clarified that he did not demand anything. He asked that his age, state of health, donations to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the fact that he voluntarily mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine be taken into account when sentencing.
🚫 The trial proceeded in VAKS since March. In June Shcherbyna voluntarily mobilized himself, chose a combat military unit, and was assigned as a machine-gunner. After that the defense tried to stop the proceedings, citing Shcherbyna’s involvement in combat tasks and the impossibility of participating in hearings even remotely via videoconference. But the VLK found Shcherbyna fit only for service in rear units. In addition, under the law the Armed Forces of Ukraine cannot be staffed with persons accused of committing a serious corruption offense whose proceedings are at the trial stage.
The military unit reported that Shcherbyna did not inform them about the criminal case and that, following an internal check of his mobilization, the responsible officials were subjected to disciplinary action. Despite the illegal mobilization, Shcherbyna continued military service and as a result several hearings were disrupted by his absence. Although command had promised to ensure his participation in hearings. For example, during trial debates it became known that Shcherbyna had been dispatched to carry out a combat task...
The court noted that the defense repeatedly abused procedural rights, which manifested in motions to suspend proceedings and other filings that complicated and delayed the trial. The court found Shcherbyna guilty and sentenced him to 5 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.
Interestingly, the acquittal verdict, for the adoption of which Shcherbyna allegedly received a bribe, remained uncanceled, although the prosecutor filed an appeal.
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