Medical centre director in Łomża fights for acquittal in 230,000 zloty case
The Court of Appeal in Białystok considered the case of a former director of a rehabilitation and medical centre accused of embezzling funds. The defence demands complete acquittal, arguing that the woman signed a statement under duress.
Appeal in medical facility embezzlement case
The Court of Appeal in Białystok concluded on Thursday consideration of the case of a former director of a rehabilitation and medical centre in Łomża. The woman accused of embezzling nearly 230,000 zlotys from medical service fees in the years 2020–2022 is fighting for complete acquittal. The court of first instance provisionally sentenced her to one year and one month in prison and ordered financial compensation.
According to Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, irregularities in the facility's finances were revealed during an analysis of documentation conducted by an external accounting firm. Following explanatory talks, the woman signed a statement and transferred 67,000 zlotys in two instalments. The court of first instance accepted that the total amount embezzled was nearly 230,000 zlotys.
The defence contests the foundations of the verdict. Advocate Karolina Góralczyk-Czeczot argued that the accused signed the document under the influence of fear and threats, not of her own free will. "You cannot convict a person simply because, under specific circumstances, under the influence of fear, pressure and threats, she signed a document," she said before the court. She also defended the thesis that other persons also had access to cash, and the accounting and settlement system contained irregularities that may explain the financial discrepancies.
The accused insisted in her final statement that she is innocent. "I was told to sign, I was cornered, I felt as if I had a gun held to my head. I was told that they would come for me anyway, because they would call the police," she said in court. She claims that she agreed to sign the document in the hope that the facility's management would clarify the matter.
The prosecution and the representative of the company (which has the status of supplementary claimant) demand that the verdict be upheld. The defence requests acquittal, or in the event of finding guilt – setting aside the verdict or imposing a substantially milder sentence with conditional suspension. The verdict of the court of appeal will be announced in one week.
Source: Dziennik Gazeta Prawna