The Specialised Criminal Court (STS) in Banska Bystrica on Tuesday found former special prosecutor Dusan K. [name abbreviated due to legal reasons] guilty, but refrained from imposing an aggregate sentence.
The prosecution accused him of the crime of accepting a bribe. According to the prosecution, as the then head of the former Special Prosecutor's Office he accepted €50,000 in a specially modified book in exchange for blocking prosecution in two criminal cases. The verdict is not final.
According to the judge, the evidence proved that the act took place. He stated that the sentence handed down so far - eight years' imprisonment and a fine of €100,000 - is sufficient, in his opinion. The defendant was sentenced to that sentence in his first corruption case in May 2022. The case concerned the acceptance of a bribe and the disclosure of information from files.
Dusan K. addressed the court on August 28, and he stressed that he did not accepted any bribe, describing the indictment as totally unfounded and the act as fabricated. According to him, the entire proceedings were based solely on the testimony of a single key witness, former head of the National Crime Agency's financial crime department Bernard Slobodnik. The defence sought acquittal.
The prosecutor proposed for Dusan K., in view of the change in the provisions of the Penal Code, an aggregate sentence of ten years' imprisonment, a fine of €120,000 and an extra year if the defendant failed to pay it.
After the first corruption case of the ex-special prosecutor, both Dusan K. and Justice Minister Boris Susko (Smer-SD) filed an appeal to the Supreme Court. The minister also decided to suspend the imposition of the prison sentence until the court decides on the appeal.
PS has asked Justice Minister Boris Susko (Smer-SD) to explain the reasons for the appeal in favour of Dusan K. at an extraordinary meeting of the parliamentary constitutional committee. "The moves made by the justice minister raise serious doubts about whether he really performs his post in the name of justice," said MP Lucia Plavakova (PS).
"This is an absolute fiasco for the justice minister who only recently pulled Dusan K. out of prison in another corruption case," said Gabor Grendel ('Slovakia', Za ludi, 'KU' caucus), MP and vice-chair of the House defence and security committee, pointing out that the conviction was handed down by judge Michal Truban, who had twice been head of the Specialised Criminal Court under the previous two Smer-SD governments and had recently won the selection procedure for this post again.
"We've long reiterated the need to build institutional trust, including an independent judiciary. Because only a functioning judicial system will ensure the protection of rights and security of the people," said KDH vice-chair Viliam Karas.
Source: TASR
