The HCJ sent judges Karnasevych and Kovbasa into honourable retirement. There are open disciplinary proceedings against them.
The High Council of Justice keeps on helping judges who should be punished. Today, the HCJ dismissed Hanna Karnasevych, judge of the Sambir district court of Lviv region, and Yuriy Kovbasa, judge of the Vinnytsia court.
What is known about judge Karnasevych?
Hanna Karnasevych is systematically involved in delaying cases and releasing drunk drivers from responsibility. In 2021, when at least 27 such cases were known, after our complaint, the HCJ even punished her. Despite this fact, the judge continued to make similar decisions. It is known that she released the drivers and let them out on bail to the labour collective. However, it is quite possible that the documents of the labour collective were forged, the SBI investigators are currently conducting a pre-trial investigation under Art. 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and check the involvement of the judges of the Sambir court.
Currently, there is an open disciplinary case against Judge Karnasevych, as well as new ones filed. However, this did not stop the High Council of Justice, so it sent the judge to an honourable retirement with a lifetime pension.
What is known about judge Kovbasa?
In 2017, Yuriy Kovbasa considered the case of a driver who was stopped by the police while driving with signs of drug intoxication. The suspect explained that he behaved this way because … he ate a bun with poppy seeds. Judge Kovbasa believed this version and released him without any punishment.
During 2020, Kovbasa intentionally extended the timelines of a DUI case, eventually leading to its closure. This resulted in the driver evading any form of punishment. Tragically, the same driver, while once again intoxicated, was responsible for a fatal accident that claimed the life of an 18-year-old female passenger. An ongoing disciplinary proceeding has been initiated against Kovbasa in relation to this incident, yet the HCJ has regrettably overlooked this matter as well.
Each instance of a judge’s retirement, particularly when there exist pending disciplinary complaints that involve substantial misconduct and could potentially lead to the judge’s removal from office, is a step back from the HCJ, which can be trusted.
We hope that the High Council of Justice will review and stop this practice.
