Kubina: Trial in Jan Kuciak Murder Case Set to Begin on 26 January 2026

Bratislava, 5 November (TASR) – The case of the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak is set to be retried at the Specialised Criminal Court (STS) in Pezinok (Bratislava region) on 26 January 2026, TASR was told by legal representative of the Kuciak family Peter Kubina. It was the Dennik N that broke the news first. Kubina specified that 43 trial dates have currently been set. The lawyer further pointed out that the case is also linked to the plot to murder current Prosecutor-General Maros Zilinka, prosecutor Peter Sufliarsky, and former special prosecutor Daniel Lipsic. He added that further hearings are scheduled for 9 February, 13 February, 9 March 2026, etc. In May 2023, the Supreme Court acquitted Marian K. (name abbreviated due to legal reasons) of charges in the case of ordering Kuciak's murder and in the case of preparing the murders of the prosecutors. The court found Alena Zs. guilty and sentenced her to a total of 25 years' imprisonment. In the case of the planned murders of incumbent Prosecutor-General Maros Zilinka and prosecutor Peter Sufliarsky, the court also found Dusan K. guilty. Defendant Darko D. was acquitted. The defendants were also acquitted of charges relating to the planned murder of Daniel Lipsic. In May, the Supreme Court overturned the verdict of the Specialised Criminal Court in the case of the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak against defendants Marian K. et al. The case was returned to the Specialised Criminal Court due to errors in the contested verdict. At the same time, another panel of the Specialised Criminal Court is to decide on the case. Journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova were murdered in their house in Velka Maca (Trnava region) on 21 February 2018. The most probable motive according to the police was Kuciak's work as an investigative journalist. Three sentences were handed down in the case, with the perpetrators of the murders Miroslav Marcek and Tomas Szabo serving 25 years in jail and Zoltan Andrusko 15 years. am