Nitra Court Remands Two Men from Operation 'Nemesis' in Custody

Nitra, 31 July (TASR) - Two men charged as part of the police operation codenamed 'Nemesis' have been remanded in custody by Nitra District Court, acting spokesperson for Nitra Regional Court Zuzana Krncanova Buranska stated on Friday, adding that both defendants have lodged an appeal against this ruling, which will be heard by Nitra Regional Court. The application to remand both men in custody was submitted by an investigator from the anti-crime unit of the Office for Combating Organised Crime (UBOK). The two men have been charged as co-perpetrators in the murder of a 25-year-old man from Sturovo, allegedly committed in January 2005. According to the investigation to date, the suspects are believed to have held the victim against his will in a rented flat as of November 2004, restricting his freedom until they obtained an unlawfully claimed VAT refund of more than 3.3 million Slovak crowns. After obtaining the money, they murdered the victim. Police said that the suspects then dismembered the body, placed the remains in containers, encased them in concrete and threw them into the Hron River. Despite an extensive search, the victim's remains haven't been found. am/df