Nausėda moves to dismiss judge convicted of bribery

President Gitanas Nausėda has begun proceedings to dismiss Lithuanian Court of Appeal judge Viktoras Kažys, who was convicted of bribery, LRT reported. A decree signed on Thursday suspended Kažys’s powers pending a decision on his dismissal.

The president has asked the Judicial Council to advise on submitting a proposal to parliament to dismiss Kažys for bringing the office of judge into disrepute, presidential adviser Tomas Beržinskas told the ELTA news agency.

The Presidential Office received the relevant court documents on October 6. The Court of Appeal ruled on September 14 that Kažys was guilty of bribery, overturning the part of a lower court ruling that had acquitted him. The verdict took effect immediately. Kažys was fined €12,500 and acquitted of a separate charge.

Kažys was convicted in the corruption case involving the Vijūnėlė mansion, which also involved Ričardas Malinauskas, then mayor of Druskininkai.

In February 2019, Kažys was detained along with judges and lawyers as part of a wide-ranging investigation into corruption in the legal system. His judicial powers were suspended at the time, and he has not heard cases since his arrest. He spent eight days in custody. After lengthy proceedings, judges, lawyers, assistants and businesspeople were convicted; most received fines, with more than €500,000 due to be paid to the state.