Founder of Slava Ukraini Johanna-Maria Lehtme goes on trial in Estonia
The trial of Johanna-Maria Lehtme, the founder and former head of the Estonian aid organization for Ukraine, Slava Ukraini, has begun at Harju County Court in Estonia. She joined the hearing remotely from Ukraine, ERR News reports.
Charges in the Slava Ukraini case
Lehtme has been charged with breach of trust and misappropriation of large sums of donations linked to Slava Ukraini's activities. Estonia's Office of the Prosecutor General launched a criminal investigation into her in May 2023.
For more than two years, Estonia's Central Criminal Police, jointly with Ukrainian authorities, compiled the case materials. Last August, Estonian prosecutors filed an indictment against Lehtme with Harju County Court.
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Alleged damages and online participation
According to the prosecution, transactions with companies linked to Lehtme's Ukrainian partner Hennadii Vaskiv caused the organization losses exceeding €450,000. In Estonia, the maximum penalty for misappropriation of property is up to two years in prison, while fraud carries up to four years.
The court allowed Lehtme to participate in the hearings remotely. Her lawyer, Dmytro Teplykh, said that she has lived in Ukraine since 2023, where she has personal, family and social ties. He also referred to his client's care for two children: one is of school age and the other is under one year old.
Last October, Lehtme already took part in a preliminary hearing via video link. At the time, Anu Viltrop, the former CEO and liquidator of Slava Ukraini, told the court that the organization had no funds in its account.
