Prosecutor General Sigrid Nurm said in the "Uudis+" program that in the case of Johanna-Maria Lehtme, it cannot be said that aid did not go to Ukraine. However, with 450,000 euros, more aid could have been provided. Lehtme has not given statements in the proceedings, but she has the right to do so.
Nurm said that the evidence shows that the organization started helping Ukraine after its establishment. Initially, Lehtme collaborated with the NGO All for Victory, but in 2022, it was replaced by the company IC Construction. "A business must make a profit," said Nurm. However, Nurm noted that Lehtme should have used donors' money more efficiently.
The prosecutor's office does not accuse Lehtme of misusing funds. However, approximately 450,000 euros went to businesses as a markup. One contract caused a loss of 44,000 euros, where logistics services were provided by volunteers. Their money went to cover the costs of All for Victory and IC Construction.
Ukrainian law enforcement agencies suspended the handling of donations by the NGO Slava Ukraini because the suspect Hennadi Vaskiv had left the country. The Estonian proceedings focus on Lehtme's activities as the head of the NGO, and the victim is Slava Ukraini.
The NGO Slava Ukraini abandoned the claim for the return of the money because it is in the liquidation process. Nurm emphasized that all aid was sent to Ukraine, but with 450,000 euros, more aid could have been provided.
The Prosecutor's Office initiated the proceedings related to Lehtme in May 2023. The proceedings are lengthy because a large part of the evidence was collected in Ukraine. All evidence in Ukrainian had to be translated and compared with Estonian documents.
Johanna-Maria Lehtme refused to give statements. Nurm said that it is her right and it cannot be held against her.