Minister Files Extraordinary Appeal in Criminal Case of Suchoba Businessman

Bratislava, 6 June (TASR) - Justice Minister Boris Susko (Smer-SD) has filed an extraordinary appeal in the case of businessman Michal Suchoba, who was sentenced to a fine of €90,000 based on a plea agreement, TASR learnt from Alexandra Szakalova from the press department of the Justice Ministry on Friday. It was the SME daily that broke the news first. The minister is requesting that the verdict approving the plea deal be overturned and the case returned to the Specialized Criminal Court (STS) for further proceedings. „The reasons for filing the appeal relate to the absence of elements constituting a criminal offense for which the individual was found guilty. The plea agreement we are challenging through this appeal appears unjust due to this deficiency,” said Szakalova, adding that under the law, this constitutes a valid reason to file an appeal. She explained that the minister is seeking the annulment of the verdict approving the plea agreement due to violations of the relevant provisions of the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code, and is requesting the case be sent back to the STS for further proceedings. The ministry emphasized that the appeal is an extraordinary legal remedy decided by the competent court according to criminal procedure rules. „The Justice Minister does not have the authority to propose a specific type or amount of punishment, which is solely the court’s competence. The minister is only authorized to initiate the appeal process, without having the power to assess guilt or propose a sentence,” added Szakalova. The Specialized Criminal Court in Pezinok approved the plea agreement between the prosecutor and Suchoba in May last year. The businessman received a financial penalty of €90,000 for bribery. In case of non-payment, a substitute sentence of six months in prison would apply. The case is related to the Purgatory corruption investigation. The bribe of €70,000 was allegedly handed over to Ludovit M. [name abbreviated due to legal reasons] in the summer of 2018. The payment was linked to the case of confiscated cash registers belonging to Medusa Group. The plea agreement between the prosecutor and Suchoba was concluded in March 2024. mf