Martynenko assured Artem Sytnyk, the head of National Anti-Corruption Bureau, that he will show up on Jan. 18 after missing several previous sessions.
Martynenko did not show up on Dec. 29, citing illness. He subsequently missed a Jan. 11 session, saying he was scheduled to be questioned by Swiss prosecutors on Jan. 12.
On Jan. 12, Sytnyk said that Martynenko risked being brought to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau “by force” and said Martynenko may be more afraid of Ukraine’s graft-fighting agency than of Swiss prosecutors.
Martynenko is suspected of accepting US$ 29 million in bribes from the Czech-based engineering firm Skoda in exchange for a contract to supply equipment to Energoatom, Ukraine’s nuclear power plant operator. According to Swiss prosecutors, the bribes were paid in the form of commission fees to an offshore company, Bradcrest Investment.
Martynenko denied the accusations and asked Parliament to strip him of his prosecutorial immunity on Dec. 22. He resigned from Parliament as well.
Martynenko claims he is not a suspect in the case but only a witness, and that he will prove the allegations are false.
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