Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko is accused in disclosing information that could damage the investigation into the murder of civic activist Kateryna Gandziuk.
Kyiv lawyer Masi Nayyem filed a statement of criminal offense to the State Investigation Bureau on Dec. 27, accusing Lutsenko of disclosing “information on a pre-trial investigation may lead to negative consequences of the investigation.”
On Facebook, Nayyem wrote that “a public announcement of intention to notify suspected individuals, may give them a clear signal to take certain steps to avoid the use of appropriate procedural actions against them.”
Lutsenko and his representatives were not available for comment.
The statement of criminal offense was submitted to the State Investigation Bureau on Dec. 27.
On Dec. 4, Lutsenko announced that the authorities identified the organizer of the murder of Gandziuk and established the motive, saying it was related to a corruption scheme in Kherson, a city of 290,000 people located some 550 kilometers south of Kyiv.
Lutsenko said the last name of the suspected organizer of Gandziuk`s murder was Levin, who had previously been sentenced for 15 years in prison after he was implicated in organizing multiple murders.
Gandziuk, a civic activist and local council member of Kherson, was attacked with acid on July 31. The attack left severe burns on her head and body. Gandziuk died at the age of 33, in one of Kyiv`s hospital, on Nov. 4.
