The Supreme Anti-Corruption Court found lawyer Oleksiy Panasenko guilty of inciting his client to provide an illegal benefit to a prosecutor of the Prosecutor General's Office. According to the court's verdict, the lawyer received 4 years and 6 months of imprisonment with a three-year ban on practicing law. He was taken into custody right in the courtroom. The decision has not yet entered into legal force and can be appealed.
This was reported by "Court Reporter" with reference to the verdict of January 19.
The investigation found that in 2023, an employee of the Boss company reported suspicions of participation in a criminal organization and illegal gambling activities. Together with her defense attorney, she tried to conclude a plea agreement with the prosecutor, but the negotiations were unsuccessful.
At the same time, a similar suspicion was raised by her acquaintance, who worked with lawyer Panasenko. According to the prosecution, the lawyer told the women that the prosecutor was ready to agree on a deal for both of them at the same time, but for this it was necessary to sign the documents "retroactively" and transfer the money. One of the suspects was offered to conclude a legal aid agreement for 5 thousand dollars.
The court concluded that this contract was fictitious and actually masked the transfer of a bribe. The client did not make any real payment for legal services, and after the breakdown of the agreements, communication with the lawyer ceased, despite the existing contract.
The case materials recorded conversations in which the lawyer insisted on advance payment and discussed the risks to the prosecutor in the event of exposure. In particular, the possible punishment was discussed as "from 12 to 15 years with confiscation," which, in the court's opinion, indicates awareness of the illegal nature of the actions.
Panasenko denied the charges. He explained that the advance payment requirement was related to the internal rules of the bar association, and the phrases about "aiding the poor" referred to alleged cooperation with the investigation, not the transfer of a bribe.
Instead, the client stated in court that it was about illegal gain. After consulting with another defense attorney, she contacted the NABU and reported the situation to investigators.
The prosecutor who was allegedly given the funds was a witness in the case. He confirmed communication with the lawyer regarding procedural issues, but denied receiving any corrupt offers. The court critically assessed his testimony, indicating that he could not have been unaware of the discussion of possible bribery.
As a result, the Supreme Court of Justice found the lawyer guilty of inciting to provide an unlawful benefit and imposed a real term of imprisonment without confiscation of property.
