Illustrative stock photo (source: SME)
The Specialised Criminal Court in Pezinok issued several verdicts concerning the alleged boss of the eastern Slovak organised crime group Róbert Okoličány and another 15 people on August 9. The verdicts are not yet valid as some lawyers have appealed it, the TASR newswire reported.
The ruling concerns 16 people charged with committing 19 crimes, including establishing and supporting an organised crime and terrorist group, murders, possessing illegal arms, robbery, or blackmailing.
The court sentenced Okoličány, as well as another two men identified as Róbert N. and Jaroslav P. for life. The sentences for the others vary between 3.5-year and 25-year imprisonment, TASR reported.
The court stressed that the evidence procedure was difficult as the accused were masked when committing crimes.
“They may be identified only when speaking,” the senate’s chair said, as quoted by TASR, pointing also to their brutal behaviour.
The original lawsuit was submitted on April 27, 2007. The court has held some 130 proceedings to date, TASR reported.
