KIEV, April 23 - RAPSI. Former Ukrainian Interior Minister Yuri Lutsenko's motion to dismiss the judge presiding over his case, accusing her of biasness and partiality, has been turned down

On Monday, the Kiev Pechora District Court opened proceedings in the criminal case against Lutsenko on charges of illegal eavesdropping and spying on a driver of former First Deputy Chief of Ukrainian Security Service Vladimir Satsyuk. The case will be considered as part of former President Viktor Yushchenko's poisoning case. The court earlier opened separate proceedings in the case.

Lutsenko's defense has endorsed the motion, while the prosecution has spoken out against it. The defendant took the floor and said he was infected with hepatitis. He added that he concealed this information for several months. Lutsenko said he believes the judges and the presiding Judge Anna Medushevskaya, in particular, are responsible for his contracting the disease.

The former minister was arrested in late 2010. Lutsenko was accused of employing his personal driver at the ministry and providing him with an apartment and a pension.

He was also accused of overspending on Police Day celebrations. Investigators estimate the damages inflicted by Lutsenko on the state during his tenure as minister at 1 million gryvnias ($125,000).

The Kiev Pechora District Court sentenced Lutsenko on February 27 to four years in prison.

Lutsenko called the sentence a political reprisal.