Ukraine's former interior minister says prosecutors have charged him with abuse of power and misspending $5,000 while in office.
Yuriy Lutsenko is the latest ally of ex Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to be investigated since her rival, President Viktor Yanukovych, came to power earlier this year. A handful of former government officials have been detained on charges of abuse of office.
Lutsenko’s spokeswoman Larisa Sargan, said Tuesday that the prosecutors allege that the former minister committed fraud when he paid his driver a 40,000 hryvna ($5,000 or €3,600) bonus. Lutsenko dismisses the charges as politically motivated.
No one at the Prosecutor Generals’ Office could be immediately reached for comment.
