Specialised Criminal Court: Ex-Justice Minister Gabor G. Maintains His Innocence

Pezinok, June 6 (TASR) - Former justice minister Gabor G. [name abbreviated due to legal reasons], accused of accepting a bribe, has maintained his innocence, reiterating that the actions listed in the indictment have been fabricated. In his final speech, delivered before the Specialised Criminal Court in Pezinok (Bratislava region) on Friday, Gabor G. said that he's never accepted or received any bribe. The entire indictment, according to him, is based solely on the testimony of key witness Jan Gajan. According to the prosecution, Gabor G. allegedly asked for and accepted a bribe from him. The defendant's closing speech is scheduled to continue on 11 June. Gabor G. explained why he believes Gajan fabricated his account. "For the cooperating defendant, it was not only a bargain, but also the only way out, as he had nothing to lose," he stressed, reiterating that he didn't know Gajan, nor had he ever met him before the main hearing. An investigator of the then National Crime Agency (NAKA) charged Gabor G. with accepting a bribe in 2022. According to the indictment, Gabor G. requested and accepted a bribe of €50,000 in 2018 in exchange for ensuring that decision-making processes at the Slovak Land Fund would be unblocked. If found guilty, he could be sentenced to one to five years in prison. am/df