You're reading: Lawyer claims political element in Kuchma case

Ihor Fomin, the lawyer of ex-Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, thinks that the Kuchma case is related to politics.

"This is a criminal case against the man who was the Ukrainian President and top national officer for ten years. There is no doubt that this case has a political element," he told the Ukrainian Channel 5 on April 3 .

Asked when a face-to-face confrontation of Kuchma and former bodyguard Mykola Melnychenko may take place, Fomin said, "As far as I know, that will happen on Monday."

He also said he would appeal the Prosecutor General’s Office decision to disqualify him from the Kuchma case on Monday not only at court but also directly to Prosecutor General Viktor Pshonka.

"We plan to appeal on Monday, both at court and to the Prosecutor General," Fomin said.

Criminal charges against Kuchma were brought on March 21, 2011. He is accused of exceeding his authority, which led to the death of journalist Georgy Gongadze.

Melnychenko said on March 24 that Verkhovna Rada Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn set up Kuchma in the Gongadze murder as Lytvyn was preparing a coup. Melnychenko said that Kuchma was not the main participant in the murder case. "In my personal opinion, the chief person who organized and committed the murder was Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn," he said.

Fomin said earlier that the Prosecutor General’s Office had disqualified him from the Kuchma case.