HAC closes the episode against Yurii Zontov over undeclared assets due to statute of limitations expiry

The High Anti-Corruption Court (HAC) granted the defence's motion and released Yurii Zontov from criminal liability for the episode involving undeclared assets. The primary reason for this decision was the expiry of the five-year statute of limitations. Since the offence was committed in 2021, the period for prosecution under this charge ended in April of this year.

Case context: $100,000 bribe

Zontov and his co-accused, lawyer Donets, are charged with attempting to receive a bribe of $100,000. According to the investigation, they promised to "resolve the issue" in the District Administrative Court of Kyiv (OASCU) regarding a tax dispute through an intermediary known as "Wolf". It was in Zontov's apartment that law enforcement officers discovered piles of cash worth millions of dollars, valuable antiques, and 100 Israeli shekels during searches.

While the episode regarding undeclared assets has been closed, the charges of fraud and incitement to bribery remain in effect. It is worth noting that Donets previously escaped punishment under a similar scheme: he was found guilty of abuse of influence but was released from liability due to the expiry of the statute of limitations.

Tactics to delay proceedings and the role of mobilisation

Yurii Zontov is employing a tactic common among many defendants in corruption cases — he has been mobilised into the Defence Forces of Ukraine. This status allows him to suspend court proceedings and delay the case. Despite this, there are grounds to believe that such a strategy may prove ineffective. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Mykhailo Drapatyi issued an order prohibiting the staffing of military units with individuals against whom criminal proceedings are ongoing or who have convictions for serious corruption offences.

Statute of limitations issues and legislative initiatives

Statutes of limitations have previously worked in Zontov's favour. In 2021, lawyers filed a complaint with the Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of the Bar Association of Kyiv, demanding he be stripped of his right to practice due to ethical violations and concurrent employment. However, the commission delayed the case review for over a year: initially, it "could not find" Zontov while he was in the Lukianivka Pre-Trial Detention Centre, and subsequently, it constantly postponed hearings once he began appearing. As a result, the QDCB managed to wait until the relevant deadlines expired.

In addition, bill No. 15354 is pending in the Verkhovna Rada. The document proposes suspending the running of statutes of limitations during the military service of defendants in cases handled by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP), as well as from the moment the case is transferred to court. Currently, members of parliament are not rushing to adopt this law.