BRATISLAVA, November 14, (WEBNOVINY) — The disciplinary court found judge Stanislav D. of the Bratislava I District Court guilty of a disciplinary transgression for a procedural mistake that contributed to the release of alleged mafia boss Karol Mello who stands accused of double murder. The disciplinary senate however said that the Polish side and the lawful judge made mistakes as well. Judge Stanislav D. erred but it did not have a crucial effect on Mello’s release as he would likely be freed anyway, ruled the senate. The Justice Ministry has filed the proposal for opening disciplinary proceeding against the judge. The disciplinary panel found the judge guilty also in another deed also involving incorrect procedural practice. The motion asking for a disciplinary procedure in the second case was initiated by ex-chairwoman of the Bratislava I District Court Helena Kozikova The disciplinary court punished the judge by halving his salary for a period of six months. The decision is not effective yet and the judge who rejects any guilt has appealed it.
Judge Stanislav D. erred by deciding on custody for Karol Mello as a judge for preparatory procedure, said the disciplinary panel of the Supreme Court. However the controversial decision was made after the lawsuit had already been filed, when the judge was no longer competent to act in the matter.
The alleged Mafia boss Karol Mello has been accused in the case of a double murder in the village of Most pri Bratislave from 2004. After successfully hiding for over five years, Polish police special task force arrested Mello in a luxurious villa near Krakow in October 2010. He lived in Poland under false identity until then. He was released by Slovak courts shortly after he was detained. Mello was released for the first time on May 9, due to alleged procedural errors upon his extradition from Poland as well as in the process of deciding over his custody. He was, however, immediately detained again. Mello then filed a complaint, on the basis of which he was released from pretrial custody for the second time, on May 19. The Bratislava Regional Court came to the conclusion that the court of the first instance, which was the Bratislava I District Court had not fulfilled the legal requirements set by the Penal Order to repeatedly take the accused into custody as they had already released him from custody in the same case. In June, Justice Minister Lucia Zitnanska asked the Supreme Court to annul the verdict of the Bratislava Regional Court that released Mello from pretrial custody. Since then, Mello has been on the run again, supposedly hiding in Latin America. A five-judge panel at the Supreme Court however turned down her request a month ago. The fact that the alleged gangland boss is no longer behind bars infuriated also Interior Minister Daniel Lipsic (KDH) who called it a slap in the face of justice.
SITA