4.  The applicant was born in 1963 and lives in Kyiv. 5.  On 15 April 2003 the applicant’s acquaintance Ms P. died of a knife wound following a dispute involving four persons, including the applicant. 6.  On 27 June 2003 an investigator of the Darnytskyy District Prosecutor’s Office opened a criminal case against the applicant on suspicion of Ms P.’s negligent homicide. Namely, the applicant was suspected of having accidentally pushed Ms P. on the knife held by another person. The applicant undertook not to leave his place of residence. 7.  On 2 July 2003 the applicant was indicted and the case was transferred to the Darnytskyy District Court of Kyiv (“the Darnytskyy Court”) for trial. 8.  On 22 August 2003 the Darnytskyy Court started the trial. 9.  In the course of the proceedings the applicant filed several petitions and complaints, in particular three times challenging the presiding judge and once the prosecutor, and seeking remittal of the case for additional investigation. Hearings were adjourned six times: on three occasions the adjournments followed the applicant’s petitions challenging the judge, once it was due to the witnesses’ absence and twice – because the judge was ill or busy in another trial. 10.  On 10 August 2005 the Darnytskyy Court referred the case for additional investigation as requested by the applicant. 11.  On 8 February 2006 the Kyiv City Court of Appeal (“the Court of Appeal”) quashed that ruling following the prosecutor’s appeal and remitted the case back to the first-instance court for examination. 12.  On 25 December 2006 the Darnytskyy Court however again decided that additional investigation was required in the case. 13.  On 15 May 2007 the additional investigation, which included questioning the witnesses, two forensic examinations and a repeated crime scene inspection, was completed. Meanwhile, on 5 May 2007 the investigator additionally charged the applicant with hooliganism associated with arms’ handling and confiscated his gun. This charge was severed from the criminal case at hand. 14.  On 30 July 2008 the Darnytskyy Court remitted the case for additional investigation once again. It noted that the pre-trial investigation undertaken had been incomplete and superficial. 15.  On 24 September 2008 the Court of Appeal upheld that ruling. 16.  On 12 November 2009 the investigator discontinued the investigation for the absence of sufficient proof of the applicant’s guilt.