A public defender in the Odessa region has been sentenced for extorting and receiving an illegal benefit to influence judicial and prosecutorial decisions. Despite being assigned by the state to represent his client free of charge under the free secondary legal aid system, the attorney demanded $3,000 to secure a suspended sentence. The Kodyna District Court ordered the lawyer to pay a fine virtually identical to the amount he took in cash.
The underlying case began in November 2025, when police opened a criminal investigation under Part 2 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal transportation of persons across the state border).
Because one of the suspects could not afford private counsel, the state appointed local lawyer Yuriy Martyniuk—who has held his law license since January 2008—to provide defense services funded entirely by the state budget. By mid-January 2026, the indictment against the suspect was submitted to the Kodyna District Court.
According to case files, the suspect was also being informally advised by a second, private female attorney. On February 17, 2026, Martyniuk met her near the courthouse on Peremohy Square and claimed he had already discussed the case with officials from both the court and the specialized defense prosecution service.
Martyniuk offered to use his «personal connections» to ensure a fast-tracked trial and a lenient verdict under Article 75 of the Criminal Code (probation without actual imprisonment). His fee for this service was set at $3,000.
On February 20, the private attorney transferred 4,300 UAH to Martyniuk’s bank account under the guise of legal fees—even though his representation was fully funded by the state.
The main transaction occurred four days later, on February 24, inside Martyniuk’s Jeep Compass parked outside the courthouse. The woman handed him the first installment of $2,000 in cash (valued at approximately 86,600 UAH under the official NBU exchange rate). The remaining $1,000 was to be delivered once the favorable sentence was officially delivered. Law enforcement officers documented the exchange and initiated proceedings against the defense attorney.
«The attorney assured the party that he possessed the necessary leverage within both the court and the prosecution to guarantee a probation verdict. The initial $2,000 payment was handed over directly outside the courthouse building inside the defendant’s personal vehicle,» court records detail.
During his trial, Martyniuk fully pleaded guilty to abuse of influence under Part 2 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and did not contest any facts. He stated that he returned all the money immediately following his arrest.
Taking into account his full confession, lack of prior criminal record, medical condition (insulin-dependent diabetes), and his dependents—which include an infant, a 16-year-old son, and stepchildren—the court opted against prison time.
Pursuant to Part 3 of Article 349 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the court expedited proceedings without examining further evidence. Martyniuk was ordered to pay a court fine of 87,000 UAH—a penalty that almost exactly matches the value of the bribe he accepted.