Case of ex-Defense Minister Yezhel charged with large-scale embezzlement referred to court, - Prosecutor General Lutsenko

Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yurii Lutsenko says the case against ex-Minister of Defense of Ukraine Mykhailo Yezhel, who is charged with embezzlement of 43 million hryvnia, has been referred to court.

Lutsenko wrote: "This is the first trial in absentia of a Yanukovych minister. The Main Military Prosecutor's Office of the Prosecutor General's Office completed a special pre-trial investigation in the criminal proceedings against ex-Defense Minister of Ukraine Mykhailo Yezhel suspected of abuse of office which caused damage to the state exceeding 42.9 million hryvnia."

On Dec. 9, 2016, a prosecutor drafted and submitted indictment against ex-minister to the court in order to launch his prosecution in absentia by the Solomianskyi district court of Kyiv.