Mayor of Sanok held by anti-corruption bureau; prosecutor charges him with corruption
The prosecutor's office detained Sanok Mayor Tomasz Matuszewski and charged him with abuse of authority. The investigation had been ongoing since April, with the actual detention taking place on 12 October.
Mayor arrested in corruption investigation
Officers of the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau in Rzeszów detained Tomasz Matuszewski, mayor of Sanok, on Monday, 12 October 2026. According to wiadomosci.gazeta.pl, the action resulted from an order by the District Prosecutor's Office in Rzeszów. During the detention – carried out at the suspect's home – documentation and data storage devices that could constitute evidence were secured.
On the same day, the prosecutor presented Matuszewski with charges of abuse of authority and promising a financial or personal benefit to a person holding public office. These crimes carry sentences ranging from six months to eight years in prison.
Charge: job offer in exchange for votes
The spokesman for the Rzeszów prosecutor's office, prosecutor Krzysztof Ciechanowski, explained the background of the investigation on Tuesday. According to investigators, the incident took place on 9 January 2025. Matuszewski allegedly made a corruption proposition to a councillor of the City Council in Sanok: employment at one of Sanok's municipal companies in exchange for voting in line with the mayor's expectations and recruiting another councillor to vote in the specified manner.
A report in the matter was filed in April 2026. It was reportedly submitted by Sanok councillor Grzegorz Nogaj. The official investigation was conducted from that time until October, when the detention took place.
Suspension from office, 30,000 zloty bail
The prosecutor's office applied preventive liberty measures. A bail of 30,000 zloty was ordered, along with police supervision, a ban on leaving the country, a ban on contacting a specific witness, and temporary suspension from the office of mayor.
Matuszewski did not admit guilt. Investigators are not disclosing details of his statement.
Mayor vows to defend himself in court
Matuszewski published a video on Facebook in which he announced that he would appeal the decision and attacked the prosecutor's actions. He called them "purely political action" and pointed out that they were undertaken "just before" a referendum scheduled for 15 November. According to him, the charges and suspension have a negative impact on the work of the office and matters affecting the city's residents.
"It will be for the court to assess the validity of this decision. Suspension is not a conviction, although in the political narrative of my opponents it will be presented that way," he said.
"I will defend myself consistently, using the available means. I have witnesses who will present important circumstances. I will not be intimidated, I will fight for the truth and my good name," the mayor added.
City council conflict since 2024
In Sanok, since the 2024 elections, there has been a conflict between the city council and the mayor. In August of this year, councillors voted for a referendum, holding Matuszewski responsible for the city's difficult financial situation. Sanok's debt at the end of the previous year amounted to approximately 170 million zloty.
Source: Google News PL