What the verdict in the Kuciak murder case means for the prosecution

The Supreme Court cannot simply overturn the verdict.

Marian Kočner and his lawyer Marek Para. Marian Kočner and his lawyer Marek Para. (Source: TASR)

Marian Kočner and Alena Zsuzsová have been acquitted of the charges pertaining to the murder of Ján Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová but this is most unlikely to be the end of the case.

The prosecution can still appeal against the verdict and present new evidence.

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Related article Shock and shame. Slovakia responds to the verdict in the Kuciak murder case Read more 

Kočner and Zsuzsová were labelled as the persons who ordered the murder by the key witness in the case, Zoltán Andruskó, who has admitted to his participation in the murder and has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. However, the court did not see his testimony as sufficient evidence to rule Kočner and Zsuzsová guilty.

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"The court could not reliably and beyond doubt decide that the deed was committed by defendant Kočner and defendant Zsuzsová," head of the senate of the Specialised Criminal Court, Ružena Sabová, said.

Following procedure, the prosecutor has 15 days to file a complaint, starting from the day after the verdict was delivered. As it turned out, the prosecutor filed the appeal against the acquittal on the spot.

New evidence too

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