The Special Prosecutor Dusan Kovacik will be prosecuted in custody. This was decided by the Specialised Criminal Court late on Sunday night. It is the very first time in Slovakia that such a high-ranking public authority official in charge of fighting corruption has been taken into custody.
The motion to do so was filed on Saturday by a prosecutor of the Special Prosecutor's Office following the charges with the crime of setting up, masterminding and supporting a criminal group and other crimes. According to the Dennik N daily, Kovacik was charged also with covering-up and obstructing the investigation concerning the preparation of the murder of a National Criminal Agency investigator.
„The reason for custody in the case of D.K. is the fear of possibly influencing witnesses and continuing criminal activities, that is a collusive and advance custody. The reason for taking N.P. into custody is the fear of possible escape, influencing witnesses and continuing criminal activities, that is escape, collusive and advance custody," said the Specialised Criminal Court spokeswoman Katarina Kudjakova.
Senior police officer Norbert Paksi confessed to the charges during his questioning on Sunday, adding that he is willing to cooperate with the police, TASR learnt on the same day from his lawyer Ivan Kochansky.
Dusan Kovacik filed a complaint against the decision, which will be decided by the Supreme Court. In the case of Paksi, the decision to take him into custody is valid.
On Friday, Oct 23, Special Prosecutor Kovacik was addressed by 20 of his colleagues and other prosecutors to resign. He has not done so yet.
The prosecution of Special Prosecutor Dusan Kovacik speaks volumes about how justice was governed in Slovakia, Vice-premier for Investments, Regional Development and Informatisation Minister Veronika Remisova (For the People) told TASR on Monday. "It shows that the prosecution service and police neither prosecuted, nor investigated, as the untouchables were protected by a strong network of those who were supposed to protect the law and justice," said Remisova, adding that society is hearing about new suspicions indicating the existence of a well-functioning top-level criminal network. According to the vice-premier, Slovakia is facing a key period in which the direction that justice will take in the upcoming years will be decided. She believes that restoring public trust in the rule of law requires an honest and adept prosecutor-general and special prosecutor, a transparent system of courts and prosecutors' offices and an unimpeachable police president.
