Vlasenko: Melnychenko's recordings on Scherban murder show Tymoshenko innocent

Kyiv, April 17 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The defense team of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is ready to accept any information regarding the murder of MP Yevhen Scherban from a former employee of the State Department Guard of Ukraine, Mykola Melnychenko, the ex-premier's lawyer, Serhiy Vlasenko, has said. "We are 100% sure that information from Melnychenko's records will fully confirm the innocence of Yulia Tymoshenko and reveal the names of those who ordered the killing," the press service of the Batkivschyna Party quoted Vlasenko as saying.

"Taking into account how defiantly and cynically the government is forging another case against Yulia Tymoshenko regarding the murder of Yevhen Scherban, we would be grateful for any facts providing the absurdity of the charges," he added.

Melnychenko earlier wrote on his Facebook page that he has information about the murder of Scherban and is ready to provide this information to the son of the late deputy, the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine and Tymoshenko’s lawyers.

"In short, yes, Scherban's killing was discussed in the office of [former President Leonid] Kuchma. I'm ready to provide all the information available to me, first and foremost, to Scherban's son, for him to know the truth about the murder of his father. I'm also ready to provide this information to the Prosecutor General's Office and Tymoshenko's lawyers. In the case of consent [preferably from the Prosecutor General’s Office] or at least from one of the parties, I'm ready to make it public," he said.