A scandal has erupted again in Vinnytsia Oblast surrounding judge Ihor Ratushnyak. Despite the conviction of the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court for bribery, he returned to the chair of the Tyvriv District Court. Moreover, Ratushnyak has begun an active "sweeping" of the Internet of publications reminiscent of his criminal past.
In December 2023, the Supreme Court of Justice found Ihor Ratushnyak guilty of receiving an unlawful benefit. The investigation found that in August 2021, the judge agreed to make a decision in favor of a person who claimed a land plot for money. He estimated the price per hectare at 40 thousand hryvnias, and for three hectares — at 120 thousand hryvnias (over $4.6 thousand at the time).
The court sentenced Ratushniak to seven years in prison, banned him from holding public office for three years, and ordered the confiscation of his property. However, the verdict did not become legally binding — the judge filed an appeal.
Now he has again headed the Tyvrivsky court, explaining this by saying that the decision of the Supreme Court of Justice is allegedly "custom-made."
In comments to journalists from "Slidstva.Info", Ratushnyak stated that the case against him was "fabricated" due to a conflict with a relative of the MP from the "Servant of the People" party, Iryna Borzova. According to him, after a quarrel with the MP's mother, he began to receive threats, and later a bribery case also appeared.
"I am accused of asking for an improper benefit, but there is no evidence. Even the law enforcement agent denied it," the judge said.
Ratushniak insists that his sentence is only the first instance, and that he will supposedly be acquitted in the Supreme Court.
"80% of the Supreme Court's verdicts are overturned by the Supreme Court," he adds.
Meanwhile, activists from the NGO "All-Ukrainian Association "Automaidan" investigated Ratushniak's judicial practice. They discovered that lawyer Vyacheslav Kohutnytskyi, the same one who is currently defending Ratushniak in the Supreme Court of Ukraine, systematically appears in cases involving drunk drivers.
According to activists, they created a scheme to avoid responsibility together. Initially, the case goes to another judge, Kohutnytskyi files a recusal, and Ratushnyak reviews it. Ultimately, he grants the recusal and takes the case to himself, after which he closes it “due to the absence of elements of the offense.”
Until the appeal has made a final decision, Ihor Ratushnyak remains in the position of the head of the court, demonstrating that even the verdict of the Supreme Court of Justice is not an obstacle for the Ukrainian Themis.
