Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky district court has refused to arrest chairman of state-run Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority Andriy Amelin.

The court had earlier received an investigator's petition for a pre-trial restraint in the form of detention against the Sea Ports Authority's head, who was notified that he was suspected of embezzlement of another owner's property through abuse of power on a large scale basis.

The investigator claims that Amelin is suspected of having committed an extremely serious crime. He noted that there is a risk of concealing evidence from pre-trial investigation agencies and the court, as well as objects or documents that are essential to establish the circumstances of the criminal offense can be destroyed or distorted. What is more, there exists a risk of unlawful influence on witnesses and other unidentified accomplices in the current criminal case, as well as obstruction of the criminal proceedings in other ways.

Meanwhile, the judge took into account that the suspect had voluntarily appeared in court for hearings on his remanding into custody as a pre-trial restraint, which serves as evidence in his favor and dismisses claims by prosecutors and investigators that there are risks that the defendant may evade investigation and trial. The investigating judge was not given other information that would indicate the suspect's improper procedural behavior.

Further, the court considered the fact that the crime the suspect is charged with is of economy nature and related to ownership of property. The suspect had no previous criminal records, he is married, with children of minority age. He has got unchallenged reputation, which is proven by the documents provided by the defense.

Thus, the court decided to reject the investigator's request for custody and set UAH 1.378 million bail as a pre-trial restraint.