General Gromosław Czempiński acquitted of corruption charges after decade-long case
Warsaw Regional Court delivered a not-guilty verdict for the former head of the UOP. The case had dragged on for over ten years.
General Gromosław Czempiński acquitted of corruption charges after decade-long case
Warsaw Regional Court has concluded a case that lasted over ten years. General Gromosław Czempiński, the former head of the Office of State Protection (UOP), was acquitted of all corruption charges.
In a judgment issued at the end of June, the court found there was no evidence that the accused had committed a crime. The decision concludes a lengthy court battle that began in 2010–2012. The Warsaw Regional Prosecutor's Office had accused Czempiński of accepting financial gain in connection with the employment in the 1990s of a representative of an Israeli concern in one of the Treasury companies.
According to the charge sheet, the former UOP head was alleged to have provided that person with access to Polish decision-makers and support in conducting business in Poland in exchange. General Czempiński had denied all charges from the outset, emphasising that he acted in accordance with the law and in the interest of the state.
The case was one of the most high-profile in Polish justice in recent years. For years, disputes continued over witness testimony, including from foreign witnesses, and over the credibility of evidence gathered by the prosecutor's office.
The regional court's verdict is not final. The prosecutor's office may lodge an appeal.
Source: Onet