The Court of Appeal in Katowice upheld the prosecutor’s objection and extended the temporary detention of former finance minister Włodzimierz Karpiński, who is suspected of corruption, until August 26, as announced by the State Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday.
The Court of Appeal in Katowice accepted the complaint from the Prosecutor of the Silesian Section of the Department of Organized Crime and Corruption of the National Prosecutor’s Office in Katowice. It extended the period of provisional detention in line with the public prosecutor’s request until August 26, 2023.
– reported the press department of the Prosecutor’s Office.
“The fear of subterfuge is extremely strong.”
During the investigation, the Katowice-Wschód District Court arrested the suspect at the prosecutor’s request, and later the District Court extended the preventive measure but for a shorter period than requested. The prosecutor appealed, and the Court of Appeal in Katowice granted the extension of pre‑trial detention as originally requested by the investigators.
According to the decision’s rationale, the risk of procedural collusion by Włodzimierz K. is considered very high. He has already taken actions that appear to obstruct the investigation. A second reason for continuing pre‑trial detention is the severity of the potential prison sentence facing Włodzimierz K.
– reported the press department.
The former minister was arrested on February 27 of this year. Earlier, on February 1, Rafał Baniak, who served as a state secretary in the Ministry of Finance from 2011 to 2015, was detained at the request of the public prosecutor, following formal charges. Along with others, including Baniak, he is accused of demanding a financial advantage from the president of one company in the amount of 2.5 percent of the value of government contracts obtained from Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Czyszczania in Warsaw in return for altering key terms of these contracts.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the total value of the orders approached PLN 600 million. The allegations include Karpiński’s receipt of nearly PLN 5 million. Investigators say the corrupt acts occurred from April 2020 to December 2022 in Warsaw, at a time when Karpiński led the Municipal Purification Company in the capital and later served as the city’s secretary. He could face a prison term of up to 12 years.
According to the findings, a scheme was active from August 2020 to January 2023 that involved providing material benefits of substantial value in connection with waste management contracts in Warsaw.
Representatives of a capital group seeking involvement in waste management reportedly reached an agreement with Rafał B. As the investigation progressed, the interested companies within that group received significant orders from MPO Warszawa. In 2021–2022, these companies managed Warsaw’s waste and received contracts totaling nearly PLN 600 million.
PK noted.
Investigators indicate that obtaining these orders was possible thanks to the proposal from Baniak, the former chairman of the Council of Employers of Poland.
The findings show that Rafał B., in exchange for securing government contracts from the municipal purification company in Warsaw, demanded commissions of about 5 percent from the company’s representatives. A scheme devised by Rafał B. and leaders of the capital group, including Artur P. and Wojciech S., enabled the withdrawal of sizable sums intended for personal financial gain.
added the prosecution.
kk/PAP
Source: wPolityce