14:39 30.08.2016

PGO completes pretrial investigation of case against former Justice Minister Lavrynovych and his deputy

2 min read

Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) has completed its pretrial criminal investigation involving former Justice Minister Oleksandr Lavrynovych and the former director of the Justice Ministry's financial department.

The PGO's press service on Tuesday said it suspects the men of embezzling UAH 8.5 million of budget funds (equivalent then to $1.1 million), which was unnecessarily and illegally spent by the Justice Ministry on legal services provided by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates (U.S.) under the guise of providing legal assistance for Ukraine vs. Tymoshenko case heard by the European Court for Human Rights. The funds were, in fact, used to cover up facts of criminal violation of legislation during hearings of the case against Tymoshenko, a violation of Part 5, Article 191 (large-scale misuse of funds) and Part 1, Article 366 (forgery) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

"At the present time the suspects and their lawyers have been informed of the end of the pretrial investigation and, pursuant to Article 290 of Ukraine's Criminal Procedural Code, acquainted with the evidence in the ongoing criminal case," the statement says.

As earlier reported, On June 13, 2015 Ukraine's PGO accused Lavrynovych of violating Part 5, Article 191 of Ukraine's Criminal Code (appropriation, embezzlement using public office or by a criminal group) in connection with the involvement of the legal firm Skadden in the case against Ukraine in the European Court of Human Rights. Payment for legal fees has been interpreted by investigators as misuse using public office of state funds exceeding UAH 8.5 million.

On June 30 Kyiv's Pechersk District Court set bail for Lavrynovych at UAH 1.2 million. He left pretrial confinement on August 7 after paying the sum.

In April 2016 Lavrynovych said that his foreign passport had been returned to him, but that the criminal investigation against him continues.

On August 18, 2016, PGO chief Yuriy Lutsenko said Lavrynovych had been served notice of the charges against him.

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