Defendant Alena Zsuzsová refused to testify at Monday’s main hearing before the Specialized Criminal Court (ŠTS) in Pezinok. She said she would exercise her right to testify later in the proceedings concerning the alleged ordering of the murder of journalist Ján Kuciak and the preparation of murders of prosecutors.
“I will and want to testify during the hearing,” Zsuzsová said, adding that she plans to comment on witness testimony and evidence, as well as propose additional evidence and witness questioning. As a result, her statements from the preparatory proceedings were read out at Monday’s hearing.
Hearings of defendants Marian Kočner and Dušan Kracina are also scheduled.
ŠTS panel chairman Miroslav Mazúch said Kočner’s lawyer, Marek Para, has proposed referring preliminary questions to the Court of Justice of the EU regarding the admissibility of evidence obtained from seized mobile phones. Para noted that the proposal does not seek a suspension of proceedings.
According to the lawyer for the injured party, Roman Kvasnica, who represents Zlatica Kušnírová, the proposal overlooks a key issue. He stressed that the evidence in question was submitted by a confidential witness and includes documents showing that the defendant shared the PIN code to his mobile phone with others.
Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová were murdered in February 2018. Marian Kočner and Alena Zsuzsová are charged with ordering the murder. The Supreme Court has overturned two previous verdicts, making this the third time the case has come before the Specialized Criminal Court.
The perpetrators, Miroslav Marček and Tomáš Szabó, were sentenced to 25 years in prison, while Zoltán Andruskó received a 15-year sentence.
Source: TASR
