Court upholds arrest for Ziobro. Extradition from USA now possible
Warsaw appellate court has confirmed the decision to remand the former justice minister in custody. This is a key step in the procedure to hand him over to Polish authorities.
Court upholds arrest for Ziobro. Extradition from USA now possible
Judge Anna Ptaszek, spokeswoman for the Warsaw District Court for Criminal Matters, announced on Wednesday evening that the appellate instance upheld the decision to remand Zbigniew Ziobro in custody. The news was reported by Gazeta Prawna.
In this way, the decision of the district court from early February became final. At that time, the District Court for Warsaw-Mokotów granted the request of the National Prosecutor's Office. The defence immediately filed appeals, which have now been rejected.
Ziobro is accused of actions related to the Justice Fund. Investigators accuse him of twenty-six prohibited acts. He allegedly ordered subordinates to break regulations so that certain companies and organisations would receive grants. Moreover, he allegedly influenced the content of tender offers in competitions and allowed money to be awarded to entities that were not entitled to receive it.
The former head of the justice ministry has been abroad for months. He initially found refuge in Hungary, where Viktor Orbán's government granted him international protection. On 10 May, following Orbán's electoral defeat, he announced he was staying in the United States. He claims he did not flee the country and is using a document issued along with asylum in Hungary.
The final ruling on arrest opens the path to extradition. Prosecutor Piotr Woźniak emphasised before the hearing that although a request for the surrender of the suspect from the USA could be filed without such a ruling, in American practice the chances of success would then be minimal. Now the formal obstacle has been removed.
(MJ/NL – PAP)
Source: Google News PL — Crime (pl)