State must repay "Patyk" over 3 million for wrongful arrest
A court in Płock has ordered the State Treasury to pay over 3.2 million zloty to Igor M., known as "Patyk", for wrongful detention in the case of the murder of the former head of Polish police.
State must repay "Patyk" over 3 million for wrongful arrest
The State Treasury will be ordered to pay over 3 million 284 thousand zloty to Igor M., known as "Patyk". Such a sentence was handed down on Friday by the Regional Court in Płock. The decision is not final – an appeal can be lodged with the court in Łódź.
A former member of an organised criminal group remained in remand custody from spring 2012 to autumn 2015. The reason for his detention was suspicion of murdering General Marek Papała, who headed Polish police at the beginning of 1998. The head of the force was shot in late June of that year in the capital, near his car.
The judicial panel awarded the man 3 million 40 thousand zloty as compensation for harm suffered as a result of unjustified deprivation of liberty. Separately, 244 thousand 993 zloty was awarded for financial losses resulting from inability to work during the period of arrest. Statutory interest accrues on both amounts – from the date the judgment becomes final until the date of payment.
Initially, the claimant sought 5 million zloty in compensation as well as over 250 thousand zloty in damages. The hearing took place in June in a specially designated courtroom, separate from the main building of the Płock court. The hearing was held in camera, under increased security protection. Such security was necessary because Igor M. appears as a crown witness in other cases.
The judgment was read out without special precautions, in a standard courtroom. Neither the interested party nor representatives of the defendant State Treasury were present. Only his defence counsel, attorney Marcin Zalewski, was present. The court then proceeded to a non-public part of the hearing, during which it presented the reasons for the decision. Journalists did not have access to this stage.
Igor M.'s ultimate acquittal in the Papała murder case took place in November 2023 as a result of a decision by the Court of Appeal in Warsaw. Earlier, in autumn 2020, he was initially acquitted by the Regional Court in the capital. At that time, the acquittal also covered six other defendants. The prosecution based its charges largely on the account of crown witness Robert P., also a former gang member. According to the prosecutors, the crime occurred during a robbery, and the perpetrators most likely were not aware of the victim's identity.
The request for compensation was submitted to Płock at the beginning of this year, based on regulations governing the territorial jurisdiction of courts in cases related to their activities.
Source: Bankier.pl / PAP
Source: Google News PL — Crime (pl)