Ukraine's police have transferred the case against perpetrators of the assassination on Kherson activist Kateryna Handziuk to the SBU Security Service of Ukraine.
"The National Police has carried out all the necessary investigative actions within their powers and by decision of the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO), which was taken today, November 5, have transferred the case to the Main Investigation Department of the SBU Security Service of Ukraine," the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine has reported.
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The police within their authority have questioned 367 people as witnesses, ordered 21 forensic examinations, conducted nine raids, four investigation-related experiments, 26 inspections, 100 secret investigative actions against 31 people, it said.
"The investigation against five accused has been completed – these are the perpetrators and organizers of the crime. Under the PGO's decision, all materials have been transferred to the Main Investigation Department of the SBU for an objective investigation. It will continue the investigation to establish who ordered the crime," the ministry said.
The ministry said this would allow the SBU investigators to combine the proceedings and conduct a pre-trial investigation from the moment of planning to its actual completion.
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As UNIAN reported earlier, Kherson activist, adviser to the Mayor of Kherson and acting manager of affairs at Kherson City Council's executive committee Kateryna Handziuk on July 31 survived an act of acid throwing. Handziuk's injury was over 30% of the total body surface area, and doctors assessed her condition as serious.
She was transferred to a Kyiv hospital, where died on November 4 after long treatment. She reportedly died of a blood clot.
Police originally qualified the attack on the official as an attempted murder committed with extreme cruelty, then its status was changed to completed murder.
Six suspects were detained, one of whom, Mykola Novikov, was later released from custody as charges against him were dropped.
Three suspects – Vyacheslav Vishnevsky, Volodymyr Vasyanovych, and Viktor Horbunov – are now under house arrest.
The alleged organizer of the assassination, Serhiy Torbin, remains in custody. His arrest has recently been extended until December 3.
Mykyta Hrabchuk is also under arrest.
