Court Releases Police Officer Charged with Rape, Finds No Grounds for Detention

Kosice, 6 November (TASR) - A pre-trial judge of Kosice Municipal Court has rejected a prosecutor's motion to remand in custody police officer Jozef H. [name abbreviated due to legal reasons], who has been charged with sexual violence and rape, ordering his release instead, Kosice Regional Court spokesperson Anna Pancurova has informed TASR. According to the court, "the substantive requirements for remanding the charged person in custody haven't been met, as the evidence gathered so far doesn't support the conclusion that the alleged act took place or that it was committed by the charged individual". The police officer was detained on Wednesday (4 November) morning in Kosice. An investigator from the Internal Affairs Inspectorate (UIS) has charged him with the criminal offence of rape in conjunction with the crime of sexual violence, which he allegedly committed while on duty and on a repeated basis, said UIS spokesperson Andrea Dobiasova. His conduct was classified as a serious form of criminal offence, carrying a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years. The investigation into the case is ongoing. ko/df