The Special Prosecutor's Office has pressed charges against the controversial businessman Marián Kočner and three other people in the case of the murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fianceé Martina Kušnírová. Apart from Kočner, Alena Zsuzsová is being charged as a mediator, Tomáš Szabó of assisting in the murder and Miroslav Marček, who confessed to being the hitman. On Friday, Zoltán Andruskó, charged as a mediator, already concluded a plea bargain with the Special Prosecutor. However, the court still needs to approve the bargain.
The prosecutor charged the four suspects of six crimes including two murders. Apart from murdering Kuciak and Kušnírová, they are also charged of murdering entrepreneur Peter Molnár in 2016. "The investigation file has more than 25,000 pages and tens of attachments, including money and valuables. The indictment has 93 pages. The prosecutor proposes to hear 24 witnesses in addition to the accused and injured and to read the testimony of 49 other witnesses, to hear a number of experts, "said spokesperson Jana Tökölyová, spokesperson of the Special Prosecutor's Office. If convicted, the accused will be punished with a 25-year imprisonment or life imprisonment.
The editorial office of the Aktuality.sk portal, where Kuciak worked, also reacted to the charges. It welcomes any progress in the investigation of the case leading to punishing the criminals.
Kuciak and Kušnírová were murdered on February 21 2018 in their house in the village of Veľká Mača, Trnava Region. Subsequently, mass protests across Slovakia took place. In reaction to them, then Prime Minister Robert Fico stepped down and was replaced by Peter Pellegrini. Moreover, then Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák, head of Police Corps Tibor Gašpar and several other politician and people in the police left their posts.
