POLAND’S JUSTICE minister, Zbigniew Cwiakalsk, resigned unexpectedly yesterday amid allegations of a cover-up in one of the country’s most spectacular murder cases.
Mr Cwiakalsk stood down following the apparent prison suicide on Monday of Robert Pazik, one of three men convicted of kidnapping and torturing the son of a wealthy businessman in 2001 – and killing him two years later.
Police said Pazik was found hanging from a bedsheet in his cell at 4am on Monday morning. Two other men convicted along with Pazik for the same murder were found dead in their cells in the last 12 months. These deaths were also classed as suicides.
Mr Cwiakalsk, who has been justice minister since 2007, said he was resigning out of a sense of political responsibility and attacked what he called “media hysteria” over the case.
What has become perhaps Poland’s most notorious criminal case began with the disappearance in 2001 of Krzysztof Olewnik, the son of a well-connected millionaire meat tycoon.
Olewnik’s kidnappers contacted his family over a period of two years while continuing to hold him hostage. In July 2003, they demanded a ransom of €300,000 for his release. Yet even after collecting the ransom in July 2003 they refused to let him go.
An investigation later revealed that the gang killed Olewnik a month after receiving the ransom; his decomposed body, showing signs of torture, was found in a forest in 2006.
The sister of the victim went on public television yesterday, suggesting that someone was silencing witnesses to the killing to prevent further names leaking out. “Pazik died because he knew too much,” said Danuta Olewnik-Cieplinska.
The three gang members were all sentenced to life imprisonment last March for their involvement in the killing.
In June came the first apparent suicide, of Wojciech F, whom prosecutors described as the mastermind of the crime.
In April of this year a second man, Slawomir Kolciuk, was also found hanging in his cell.
For years the Olewnik family has complained of police incompetence in the case, even suggesting a cover-up took place. Last year, prosecutors brought charges against three policemen involved in the investigation.
Prime minister Donald Tusk, under pressure from the opposition, announced yesterday he had dismissed a series of officials involved in “this scandalous case”, including the head of the prison where Pazik was found dead.
“We will not tolerate any further negligence,” said Mr Tusk. “This matter must be treated as a priority by all concerned.”
