13:21 29.01.2013

Court finds Pukach guilty of abuse of power, murder of Gongadze

1 min read

The court has found the former chief of the external surveillance department of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, Oleksiy Pukach, guilty of abuse of power and the murder of journalist Georgy Gongadze based on the collected evidence, the verdict reads.

According to the verdict, which was read out in Pechersky District Court in Kyiv on Tuesday, Pukach has partially admitted his guilt. This follows from Pukach's testimony, voiced by the court during the sentencing.

He said that he personally received the order from the then Interior Minister, Yuriy Kravchenko, to hold surveillance over Gongadze and to kill him.

At the same time, the defendant said in his testimony that he did not intend to kill the journalist. He recognized that the surveillance over Gongadze was organized. He said he was strangling the journalist with a belt, but did not intend to kill, the belt simply slipped.

Pukach also acknowledged that he cut the head off the journalist's body and reburied the body.

According to an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent, the delivery of defendants to Pechersky District Court has been cancelled today. However, Pukach has been brought to the court.

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