KIEV, June 1 - RAPSI. The Ukrainian Superior Specialized Civil and Criminal Court has suspended until June 26 its hearing of the prosecutor's office's cassation appeal against an appeals court's decision to drop the charges against ex-Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma in the case of a journalist's murder.

The Prosecutor General's Office initiated a criminal case in the murder of journalist Georgy Gongadze last spring and charged Kuchma with abuse of power and ordering high-ranking Interior Ministry officials to assassinate the journalist.

Gongadze's beheaded body was found in fall 2000 in the Kiev region. Shortly after, an audio recording was published of Kuchma giving orders to "deal with" the journalist.
The recording was allegedly made by security staff member Nikolai Melnichenko in Kuchma's office. The Prosecutor General's Office used the recording as evidence in its case.

However, the Kiev Pechersky District court ruled that the recording cannot be used as evidence, as it was produced illegally. The case was dismissed and the court said there were not substantial grounds for prosecution.

The Prosecutor General's Office believes former Interior Minister Yuri Kravchenko to be the mastermind behind the murder.

Kravchenko reportedly committed a suicide under strange circumstances following the Orange Revolution in early 2005.

In his suicide note, he apologized to those close to him and wrote that he was made a victim of Kuchma's political gambling.