Man Facing Corruption Charges Remanded in Custody

Man Facing Corruption Charges Remanded in Custody

Bratislava, February 28 (TASR) – An employee of an agricultural payment agency identified by a court only as Peter O. who is facing charges of corruption will be prosecuted in custody, according to a decision by the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

“No appeal is possible against today’s decision of the Supreme Court’s senate,” said the Supreme Court press department.

An investigator of the National Crime Agency (NAKA) pressed charges of bribery against Peter O. for two incidents that were supposed to have taken place in late 2016 and early 2017, respectively. The defendant collected bribes worth €19,000.

Both cases featured the provision of direct payments in agriculture. “In the past year, the defendant asked the chairman of a farmers’ cooperative for a certain percentage of €830,000. Later he specified that he wanted 2 percent of the sum, equalling more than €16,000,” said Police Corps President Tibor Gaspar on February 24.

In February 2017 the accused accepted a sum of €6,000 as the first instalment, but by then he was already under police surveillance and was apprehended with the money.

The investigation into the case revealed a further corrupt activity perpetrated by Peter O., prompting the investigator to expand the charges by another count. The accused asked for another €3,000 from an applicant for agricultural financial aid. Via an intermediary, Peter accepted the bribe and the money was funnelled into his account.