Norbert Bödör, charged with corruption ready to prove his innocence to courts

Nitra-based oligarch Norbert Bödör, who is facing charges related to corruption and the establishment of an organised crime group, said that he will not avoid the main trial in the Dobytkár (Stock Farmer) case.

He keeps saying that the proceedings against him have been manipulated, and cited errors made by the prosecutor of the Special Prosecutor’s Office. He is ready to prove his innocence, the TASR newswire reported.

Last week Bödör was released from custody, where he spent more than 19 months for charges in the Dobytkár case. A few hours later, he was detained once more in connection with another case, where he is being prosecuted. He was released again by the Specialised Criminal Court on January 16.

The decision has not been valid since the prosecutor submitted a complaint.

The whole case will now be decided by the Supreme Court. The court was forced to cancel the session scheduled for January 20. The reason is that Bödör submitted a complaint against Judges Juraj Kliment and Peter Štift, claiming that they are biased, as the SITA newswire reported.

The Dobytkár case is linked to corruption in the Agricultural Payment Agency. Bödör is facing charges of money laundering in this case.

He also remains accused in the Očistec (Purgatory) case, where he is charged in connection with the operation of an alleged crime group active within the police, and the Valčeky (Cyllinders) case, where he allegedly mediated a bribe for the investigator in a VAT refund case, the Sme daily reported.