Main hearing begins at specialised court in Banská Bystrica in Čistec case
On Monday, the main hearing began at the Specialised Criminal Court in Banská Bystrica in the extensive corruption case Čistec. Among the defendants are former high-ranking officials from the police and financial authority.
Main hearing begins at specialised court in Banská Bystrica in Čistec case
On Monday, the main hearing began at the Specialised Criminal Court in Banská Bystrica in the extensive corruption case Čistec. Among the defendants are former high-ranking officials from the police and financial authority.
In the dock are former police force president and current deputy chairman of the National Council Tibor Gašpar, Nitra businessman Norbert Bödör, former special prosecutor Dušan Kováčik and former head of the financial authority František Imrecze. They were joined by other former officials from the National Criminal Agency (NAKA) and former police officer Roman Stahla.
The prosecution accuses the group around Bödör of founding, organising and supporting a criminal group, accepting bribes, receiving bribes and abusing the authority of a public official. According to the indictment, the highest bribe amount was to reach half a million euros, which represents approximately 12 million crowns.
All the accused deny guilt. Their defence lawyers described the indictment as unfounded and illegal. They argue that the preliminary proceedings were marked by bias and unlawful procedures. Therefore, they requested the termination of criminal prosecution.
The trial was adjourned on the first day due to a motion to join the indictment with the case of former special officer Roman Stahla. The consolidation of the cases subsequently took place at a closed session.
Defence lawyer Marek Para also stated that his clients would not testify at this stage of proceedings until the prosecutor specifies the individual charges more precisely.
Prosecutor Bohdan Čeľovský, by contrast, described the case as exceptionally serious. He emphasised that according to the indictment, it was not a matter of action in the interests of citizens, but in the interest of private individuals who had sought to influence the functioning of the police.
Source: Novinky.cz
Source: Novinky.cz