The head of the district court in the Volyn region is suspected of bribery

The head of the district court in the Volyn region is suspected of bribery

Law enforcement agencies have notified the head of the court in Volyn and his acquaintance of suspicion of receiving undue benefits. The judicial officer was exposed by employees of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, and the National Police. As "Syla pravdy" learned from a source with knowledge of the situation, it concerns the head of the Rozhyshchensky District Court, Ivan Silich. 

The announcement of the judge’s suspicion was made by the NABU press service on July 15.

Law enforcement claims that the head of the court, together with an accomplice, incited a Volyn woman to bribe one of the judges to make a "necessary" decision in a civil case. However, they had no intention of negotiating with the judge, and the decision made by him was already in favor of this person. The money received by the woman was divided by the suspects. To hide the crime, one part of the bribe was exchanged at a currency exchange point, and the other through an acquaintance.

NABU also released a video of the arrest of one of the suspects. In the footage, it is likely the head of the Rozhyshchensky District Court, Ivan Silich, as in the latest annual declaration of property and income, he mentions using a Volvo XC90 2010 model – the same as in the published video.

The 51-year-old Ivan Silich was elected head of the Rozhyshchenskyi District Court in April 2024. Prior to this, he already headed this institution from 2011 for 4 consecutive terms. As the judge later explained, at that time it did not contradict the legislation, which changed and was in force at the time of each of his elections as head of the court.

In 2019, the Public Integrity Council provided an opinion on Judge Silich’s failure to meet the criteria of integrity and professional ethics. The Council’s opinion stated, among other things, that the judge made decisions in favor of a certain person, allowed judicial delays causing a breach of the time limits for case consideration, applied a selective approach to resolving cases concerning drivers’ liability for driving under the influence of alcohol, and unjustifiably failed to declare property belonging to his wife and daughters. After Silych’s explanations, the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine recognized him as meeting the position’s qualifications.

It is also known that Ivan Silich was among the judges who received the highest salaries in the first year of the full-scale invasion in 2022. He was also among those colleagues who successfully sued for millions that the state saved during the coronavirus crisis.

According to the income declaration for 2024, the head of the court, Ivan Silych, earned over 1.5 million hryvnias last year. He has 400,000 hryvnias in cash. His place of residence is indicated as the village of Zmiyinets near Lutsk, with a 128-square-meter house belonging to his wife. The family has cars including an Infiniti QX60 2016 model and a VOLVO XC90 2010 model. The cars belong to his wife and daughter, and the judge only uses them. His wife also has a 12-acre plot and three 10-acre plots in Zmiyinets, as well as a car service station and a utility building.