The Qualification Collegium has authorized the prosecution of a judge from Adygea in a case involving a large-scale bribery.

The High Qualification Collegium of Judges has approved the criminal prosecution of Adam Voitlev, a judge of the Shovgenovsky District Court, who is suspected of accepting a bribe of 2.5 million rubles.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," the High Qualification Collegium of Judges announced it would consider stripping the former head of the Kuban Regional Court, Alexander Chernov, of his status as a retired judge.

The High Qualification Collegium of Judges of the Russian Federation (HQCJ) agreed to initiate criminal proceedings against Adam Voitlev, a judge of the Shovgenovsky District Court of Adygea.

"The Collegium reviewed the motion of the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation to consent to the initiation of a criminal case on the grounds of a crime under Part 6 of Article 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (accepting a bribe on an especially large scale), and decided to uphold the motion," the Collegium's decision, as quoted by TASS, stated. Voitlev himself did not appear at the HQCJ meeting, and the meeting proceeded in his absence.

According to the Investigative Committee, acting court chairman Voitlev received 2.5 million rubles in several tranches through an intermediary. In exchange, he lifted the seizure of the property of a defendant accused of large-scale fraud and convinced a colleague from his court to return his case to the prosecutor. However, this decision was overturned by the appellate court, the bribe-giver received a guilty verdict, after which he complained about Voitlev to the FSB.

By length of service, Adam Voitlev is the most experienced judge of the Shovgenovsky District Court; he was appointed a judge in 2015. There are three judges in this court, including the chairman, Timur Kerashev, who took over the court at the end of 2023. Previously, he was a judge in the Koshekhablsky District Court. Another judge, Kazbek Tlekhuch, was appointed in March 2021, according to Novaya Gazeta Kubani.

It should be noted that the High Qualification Qualifications Court also announced it would consider initiating a case against former magistrate judge from Kabardino-Balkaria, Mukhamed Tembotov, who is suspected of five counts of bribery by an organized group and petty bribery.