Investigators erred in the case of alleged sexual exploitation

Previously, investigators made mistakes in the case of the alleged sexual exploitation of children in the Čistý deň resocialisation centre in the western Slovak town of Galanta, according to the Prosecutor-General's Office. It has received reports from its regional offices in Trnava and Trenčín which have analysed documents regarding two criminal matters and stated that only one investigation was in line with the law. In the criminal prosecution concerning the crime of sexual exploitation based on complaints from the mother of the allegedly abused under-age girl Nikola from August 26, last year, Galanta district investigators dropped the prosecution three months later due to a lack of evidence. Another investigation was led by the Police Corps Považská Bystrica District Directorate (Trenčín region) based on a complaint from a mother that suggested that four attendees at the centre were raped at a cottage in the Považská Bystrica district. The investigator closed the investigation in May this year, ruling out the possibility that it was rape. According to Trenčín regional prosecutor office the investigator didn't carry out an interrogation of all essential and accessible witnesses and didn't procure all relevant documents. In addition, the Považská Bystrica district attorney committed some errors as well. Both investigations will now be renewed.