On Thursday morning, the National Criminal Agency (NAKA) announced that it had detained suspects in the murders of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírova. "We're currently conducting house searches and other procedural operations. We'll provide more information when the situation allows," the police said on a social network. The lawyer of the Kuciak family, Daniel Lipšic, is appealing to the public on a social network to have confidence in the results of the investigation so far. "The investigation team has been composed of experienced investigators. The extent of the investigation, also with the participation of Europol and other foreign bodies, has been unprecedented," said Lipšič. According to Interior Minister Denisa Saková, the police conducted 200 hearings and heard tens of expert testimonies regarding the case.
According to TV Markíza, one of the suspects underwent training at the European Maritime Safety Agency and also worked as a police investigator in the past. The Prosecutor's office refuses to comment this information or the current steps being taken. The Prosecutor General asks journalists to refrain from divulging information in order to prevent the thwarting of the investigation.
Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová were murdered in their house in the village of Veľká Mača, Nitra Region at the end of February 2018. Kuciak was an investigative anti-corruption journalist who wrote about the controversial businessman Marián Kočner, alleged links between the Italian mafia and Slovak leading politicians and the Slovak police as well as about frauds related to the use of EU funds. After his death, Prime Minister Robert Fico, Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák and President of the Police Corps Tibor Gašpar stepped down.
