Bratislava (AFP)
One of the four accused of the murder of Slovak investigative journalist Jan Kuciak pleaded guilty Monday at the trial in Pezinok, near Bratislava.
"I am guilty," said former professional soldier Miroslav Marcek, 37, accused of being one of the two perpetrators of the assassination of Kuciak and his fiancée, whose alleged sponsor is the man. Marian Kocner cases, investigated by a journalist specializing in corruption cases.
The double murder had sparked mass protests against the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico, who had eventually resigned. The movement paved the way for the election of the liberal chairman and anti-corruption activist Zuzana Caputova to the Slovak presidency in March.
Masked and armed police on Monday provided security in the building of the Special Criminal Court, where the hearing began in the presence of the parents of the two victims.
If found guilty, defendants face a sentence ranging from 25 years in prison to life imprisonment.
The other accused are a former Kocner interpreter, Alena Zsuzsova, and another alleged murderer, Tomas Szabo.
A fifth participant in the operation, Zoltan Andrusko, having acted as an intermediary between Kocner and Zsusova and the two shooters, concluded an agreement with the justice system and was sentenced on December 30 to fifteen years in prison during a separate trial .
Marian Kocner, 56, who is the subject of other prosecutions for suspicious financial transactions and tax fraud, was known for his hostility towards journalists, whom he used to insult and threaten.
The 93-page indictment was leaked to the media. According to the latter, Kocner, finding "no dirt" to discredit the annoying journalist, ended up "deciding to get rid of it physically and thus prevent further revelations about his activities".
© 2020 AFP