The corruption case against Anatoliy Syvokon, a State Migration Service officer caught red-handed accepting a $2,800 bribe, has remained stalled for over two years in the Ovidiopol District Court of Odesa Oblast. Despite being apprehended directly in his workplace with the cash in hand, judge Andriy Bocharov has yet to deliver a final ruling, allowing the accused to maintain his position and receive a state salary for an extended period.
According to investigators, the lead specialist of the Ovidiopol SMS department initially demanded $1,500 to process citizenship confirmation documents for five foreign nationals’ children, later escalating the bribe to $2,800. Law enforcement officers detained Syvokon on January 30, 2024, immediately after receiving the full payment.
The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) initially acted swiftly. Judge Kotelevsky of Odesa’s Kyivskyi District Court suspended the official until May 28, 2024, set bail at 242,000 UAH (which was paid), and seized his assets, including a Ford Focus with a trailer and real estate.
Following the case transfer to the Ovidiopol District Court (proceeding No. 509/3135/24) under Judge Bocharov, the legal process ground to a halt:
18 hearings were scheduled over the past two years.
Only two rulings resulted from these sessions, both merely extending court proceedings.
Nearly one additional year was spent by Syvokon working at his government job after his initial suspension expired.
The persistent delays raise significant concerns regarding potential evasion of justice. Official records indicate that Syvokon’s wife is employed by the Odesa Regional Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support (TCC). Given current wartime restrictions, this connection points to potential resources that could facilitate an unauthorized exit from the country while his case remains unresolved.