Police: Man Charged in Operation 'Prophet' Confesses; Court Orders Custody

Bratislava, 17 July (TASR) - The man charged in a police operation codenamed 'Prophet' has confessed to the crime, and the Specialised Criminal Court (STS) has remanded him in custody. the Police Corps reported on social media on Friday. The police announced on Wednesday (15 July) that the man had been charged with bribery. The accused, J.K. [name abbreviated due to legal reasons], allegedly attempted to influence a witness and promised her €30,000 in exchange for false testimony. "Based on the investigator's meticulous work and a sufficient amount of secured evidence, the Specialised Criminal Court decided to remand the accused man in custody. The accused has confessed to the crime and has expressed regret for his actions," wrote the police. The accused was arrested by the Office for Combating Organised Crime on Tuesday (14 July). According to police findings, the witness's influenced testimony was intended to lead to the termination of criminal proceedings regarding the property under investigation and the removal of a note regarding criminal proceedings from a title deed, which would have made it possible to freely dispose of a flat. Prior to the scheduled questioning, the man allegedly gave the witness detailed instructions on what facts to state. He also allegedly proposed concealing the payment of the promised financial reward through a fictitious out-of-court settlement agreement. am/df