UAH 2.5 mln bail posted for Kherson Regional Council chairman

"I have put up bail for Vladyslav Mykolayovych [Manher]. I am now going to the territorial department of the treasury to receive confirmation of the transfer of funds to the state budget," he said.

According to the lawyer, Manher is still in the SBU's detention center. The defense team has information that he was sent for questioning, although lawyers were not informed about that.

Ilchenko also said that after closed trial in Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky District Court the defense team has grounds to report the commission of a crime against a suspect in the case, Serhiy Torbin.

"Having reviewed a disc at a closed court session, I have grounds to state that SBU employees committed a crime against Torbin," Ilchenko said.

An employee of Kherson City Council, activist Kateryna Handziuk, was attacked with sulfuric acid on July 31, 2018. She sustained chemical burns and partly lost her eyesight. Handziuk underwent over ten operations. She died on November 4.

On February 11, Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko said that Manher had been served with a notice of suspicion in the order to kill Handziuk.

On Wednesday, February 13, prosecutors asked the court to choose for Manher the measure of restraint in the form of detention until March 3, 2019 without the right to post bail. Prosecutors believe that Manher may destroy evidence of involvement in the killing of the activist, as well as escape to Vienna, where he owns a house.

Manher's defense lawyers, in turn, objected to statements made by the prosecutors and appealed to the court with the request not to choose for their client a preventive measure related to detention.

On February 15, Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky District Court chose for Manher the measure of restraint in the form of detention with the possibility of putting up bail of UAH 2.497 million.

The Prosecutor General's Office said that it would appeal this court ruling.