KIEV, Oct. 14 ??“ President Viktor Yushchenko on Friday sacked Prosecutor General Sviatoslav Piskun amid persistent lapses and failures in the investigation of the murder of journalist Heorhiy Gongadze and other high profile crimes.

Piskun had been vigorously maneuvering last week to try to avoid the dismissal by opening several high profile inquiries, including a probe against a figure once close to Yushchenko.