Former Deputy Justice Minister remains in custody

Former Deputy Justice Ministry Monika Jankovská, who has been charged with accepting bribes, remains in custody, a Specialised Criminal Court (STS) judge overseeing preliminary proceedings ruled on Wednesday. At the same time, the court decided to release judge Denisa Cviková who had been arrested under the same operation and likewise charged with accepting bribes. A prosecutor of the Special Prosecutor's Office has already announced that he will file a complaint against this decision and the same intent has been signalled by Jankovská's lawyer Peter Erdos. The final verdict will thus have to be made by the Supreme Court. The two were among the judges who saw their mobile phones seized by the police last August due to suspicion of corruption and abuse of a public official's powers. The raid was triggered by messages found on the mobile phone of businessman Marian Kočner at that time being investigated for financial fraud and ordering the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak. They revealed that Jankovská was influencing judges to rule in favor of Kočner's business interests. She stepped down shortly after the police raid.