The Supreme Court took the accused Norbert B. into custody at its public session on Thursday. It thus upheld the prosecutor's complaint against the verdict of the Specialized Criminal Court, which decided to not remand in custody the entrepreneur charged in the Cattle Breeder case on Sunday, July 5.
"Both formal conditions and legal deadlines for custody have been met," stated Supreme Court senate chair Martin Bargel. He added that arguments raised by the prosecutor were more convincing.
Witnesses in the case have uncovered an unprecedented corruption case in Slovakia. "It was a corruption "mega machine". The way it operated is unbelievable and it goes back as far as 2006," underlined judge Bargel.
Nitra-based entrepreneur Norbert B. is a relative of former Police Corps President Tibor Gašpar who resigned after the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kusnirova. Norbert B. is also a witness in the trial of the people accused of murdering the couple.
The prosecutor asked for custody for both Norbert B. and Peter K. so that they could not continue their criminal activities, influence witnesses or thwart the investigation. The Cattle Breeder case is related to suspected corruption surrounding the Agricultural Paying Agency (PPA). As part of the Cattle Breeder Operation, the National Criminal Agency repeatedly gathered evidence throughout Slovakia in the period since March. The reason is suspicions of corruption and legalization of proceeds of criminal activity at the Agricultural Paying Agency. According to the police, the documented amount of bribes is some 10 million euros. The group of persons accused of corruption and money laundering in this case includes, for example, former PPA chief Juraj K., former PPA executive director Lubomir P., former director general of the Agriculture Ministry's rural development and direct payments section Marek K., financier Martin K. and entrepreneurs Norbert B. and Peter K.
The decision of the Supreme Court's panel from Thursday is valid and final.
Source: TASR, SITA
