The Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) of Ukraine has confirmed that charges have been brought against second Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma (1994-2005) on abuse of power that led to the death of journalist Georgy Gongadze.
"He has been charged under Article 166 of the Criminal Code of 1960," PGO spokesman Yuriy Boichenko told Interfax-Ukraine.
Under Ukrainian law, the application of the provisions of the Criminal Code regarding the statute of limitation lies in the competence of the courts.
"It is within the court’s jurisdiction [whether or not] to apply the statute of limitations," Boichenko said.
Article 166 of the Criminal Code of 1960 is entitled "The abuse of power or office." Part 3 of this article stipulates that the abuse of power or office led to serious consequences. Violations of the article can result in imprisonment from five to 12 years, with no rights to holding public office.
Since the crime was committed before the entry into force of the new wording of the Criminal Code, the criminal proceedings were launched under Ukraine’s Criminal Code of 1960.
