Kiev, Ukraine ? The former interior minister was found dead Friday in his home, an apparent suicide, just before he was to be questioned about the 2000 slaying of an investigative journalist, dealing a blow to an inquiry that could implicate the former president.

Former Interior Minister Yuriy Kravchenko suffered two gunshot wounds to the head, a TV station reported he left a note blaming his suicide on former President Leonid Kuchma “and his entourage,” and the journalist’s widow suggested it was all part of a cover-up to protect “the old regime.”

President Viktor Yushchenko, who has made solving the murder of journalist Heoriy Gongadze a moral obligation for his new administration, ordered the current interior minister and prosecutor general to take over the investigation.

Kravchenko, 53, had been implicated in organizing the killing of Gongadze, who wrote about top-level corruption under Kuchma.

The killing of Gongadze — who was found decapitated in 2000 in a forest outside the capital — sparked months of protests against Kuchma. The opposition alleged Kuchma ordered the killing.

Kuchma again denied any involvement Friday.

“Before God, before people, before my conscience, I’m clean,” Kuchma said at a spa resort in the Czech Republic. He said he would return home today and was prepared to talk with prosecutors, Czech and Ukrainian TV reported.

Interior Ministry spokeswoman Inna Kisel said Kravchenko’s death “appears to be a suicide.” He died at his country residence outside Kiev.

Citing unidentified law enforcement officials, the Interfax news agency and Ukraine’s private NTN television reported Kravchenko left a note blaming “Kuchma and his entourage” for his death and said he wanted to save his family from “attacks.”

Yuriy Lutsenko, the current interior minister, said Kravchenko suffered gunshot wounds in the chin and temple.