Reward offered for missing Ukrainian

Leonid Kuchma has been dragged into controversy

KIEV, Ukraine -- Ukrainian security police have offered a 100,000 hryvnia ($18,400) reward for information on the fate of missing journalist Georgiy Gongadze.

The police (SBU) have become embroiled in the case after Socialist Party leader Alexander Moroz made public a tape he said proved that President Leonid Kuchma, Interior Minister Yuri Kravchenko and SBU head Leonid Derkach played key roles in Gongadze's disappearance.

The controversial journalist went missing on September 16th and a month later a headless body, with distinguishing marks believed to link it to Gongadze was found in woods near Kiev.

VIDEO CNN's Jill Dougherty investigates the mystery surrounding the murder, and links to the president Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

Last week his wife Myroslava was finally allowed to identify the corpse and she said it does appear to be the body of her husband. His colleagues and friends also believe the decapitated corpse is his.

Gongadze had been harshly critical of Kuchma and several top businessmen from the president's entourage.

The tape depicts Kuchma allegedly telling two top aides it would be a good thing if the journalist was kidnapped.

Moroz says the tape was made by Nikolai Melnichenko, an officer in the SBU, who used a tape recorder under a couch in the president's office.

The officer claims Kuchma also ordered the destruction of political opponents.

Moroz told CNN he is not seeking political gain by releasing the tape.

Kuchma said the cassette tape was a provocation and an attempt to blackmail him by unspecified forces, who he said were seeking to plunge the nation of 50 million into chaos.

But last week, Ukraine's parliament turned against Kuchma and demanded the sacking of Derkach and Kravchenko after deputies watched the Melnichenko videotape. He said he had been secretly recording Kuchma for a long time.

Kuchma said he would prefer to wait for the conclusions of the prosecutor general before making any personnel decisions.

Moroz has said the cassette is undergoing thorough examination by the prosecutor general, independent experts and the Council of Europe.

Before his disappearance Gongadze made a street protest in Kiev last July by carrying a sign saying "Freedom of Speech" while his mouth was taped shut.

After the radio station he worked for was closed down he moved to the Internet with a Web site called "Ukrainian Truth" -- www.pravda.com.ua.

Moroz, said: "We have to put a stop to that system, that kind of government. We're slipping into a quagmire of dictatorship, a criminal dictatorship, and that's very dangerous."

Kuchma told CNN exclusively that "political forces" were trying to hurt him and damage the Ukraine.

"This is a meticulously prepared, planned provocation. Gongadze was not a very well-known journalist. No one outside the beltway had every heard of him. Who benefits from this provocation? We will definitely find an answer."

On the streets of the Ukrainian capital the story is raising doubts about the president.

Gongadze's wife, who works for an opposition party says she wants answers.

"Where is my husband? Is he alive or dead? Did they kill him or is he out there somewhere? Who did it? I want the truth. I don't care who gave the order."

Reuters contributed to this report.

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