Court ruling allows former Naftogaz CEO leave Ukraine – reports

Source: Anti-Corruption Center

Former Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolev who was accused of misappropriating 229.25 million hryvnias in bonuses is footlooose again after after the High Anti-Corruption Court hasn’t not extended restrictions on him during the court hearing Wednesday.

The Anti-Corruption Action Center found out that  Kobolyev’s obligations expired on November 12, meaning he doesn’t need to notify officials about changes in his place of residence, contacts with witnesses, and his international travel.

The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) filed a motion on November 1 to extend these obligations, 12 days before their expiration. However, hearings scheduled for November 5 and 8 were removed from the court calendar.

On November 1, the court granted Kobolyev permission to travel abroad from November 4 to November 25.

The former powerful executive faces charges over the allegedly unlawful bonus he received for leading Naftogaz to victory in a Stockholm arbitration case. Prosecutors argued that the bonus far exceeded legal limits –  Kobolyev received a payment equivalent to $10 million while  maximum permissible amount was $900,000.