Key cop murder witness found dead
From: NPE
A key witness in one of Poland’s most high-profile murder cases died in mysterious circumstances in prison, prompting immediate calls for an investigation.
A key witness in one of Poland’s most high-profile murder cases died in mysterious circumstances in prison, prompting immediate calls for an investigation.
Artur Zirajewski was found dead in a cell of a Gdansk prison hospital on Sunday after, according to some press reports, suffering a pulmonary embolism, although it was widely rumoured that he may have killed himself.
Serving 15 years for an unrelated crime, Zirajewski was a prime witness in the killing of the former head of the police General Marek Papala.
The policeman was gunned down in 1998 in a crime that bore all the hallmarks of a mafia hit, and one that remains unsolved.
In his testimony Zirajewski claimed that Edward Mazur, a Chicago-based, Polish-American businessman had offered another man about $40,000 dollars to kill Papala.
Following Zirajewski’s death Law and Justice called for an extraordinary meeting of parliament’s justice committee to probe what it described as the “mysterious and questionable death”.
In particular the party wants an explanation as to just why such a valuable prisoner was left unsupervised despite being unwell, and an answer to the question whether he committed suicide or was foul play involved.
Citing a reliable source, the newspaper Rzeczpospolita claimed the prisoner had taken a large number of sleeping pills but, according to Lieutenant-Colonel Leszek Urbanowicz, one of the men investigating the death, Zirajewski showed no sign of depression.
“There was no indication that Arthur Z. wanted to commit suicide,” he told the newspaper. “He was behaving normally and asked only for sleeping pills as he was having trouble sleeping.”
Experts have pointed out that Zirajewski’s death came after he had tried to get his sentence reduced by offering more information on Papala’s murder.
“He had made two similar proposals beforehand: both were rejected - in February and then June. The last one was submitted to the court November 19,” said Przemyslaw Banasik, a spokesman for the Gdansk district court.
Zirajewski is the latest of a number of people linked to high-profile murder cases to die in suspicious circumstances.
Three people involved in the kidnap and murder of businessman Krzysztof Olewnik have died, and a criminologist has claimed that 10 people connected to corruption cases had died from having “little accidents” or committing suicide.
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| Cop killer witness found dead in cell at maximum security prison in Gdansk |
A key witness in one of Poland’s most high-profile murder cases died in mysterious circumstances in prison, prompting immediate calls for an investigation.
Artur Zirajewski was found dead in a cell of a Gdansk prison hospital on Sunday after, according to some press reports, suffering a pulmonary embolism, although it was widely rumoured that he may have killed himself.
Serving 15 years for an unrelated crime, Zirajewski was a prime witness in the killing of the former head of the police General Marek Papala.
The policeman was gunned down in 1998 in a crime that bore all the hallmarks of a mafia hit, and one that remains unsolved.
In his testimony Zirajewski claimed that Edward Mazur, a Chicago-based, Polish-American businessman had offered another man about $40,000 dollars to kill Papala.
Following Zirajewski’s death Law and Justice called for an extraordinary meeting of parliament’s justice committee to probe what it described as the “mysterious and questionable death”.
In particular the party wants an explanation as to just why such a valuable prisoner was left unsupervised despite being unwell, and an answer to the question whether he committed suicide or was foul play involved.
Citing a reliable source, the newspaper Rzeczpospolita claimed the prisoner had taken a large number of sleeping pills but, according to Lieutenant-Colonel Leszek Urbanowicz, one of the men investigating the death, Zirajewski showed no sign of depression.
“There was no indication that Arthur Z. wanted to commit suicide,” he told the newspaper. “He was behaving normally and asked only for sleeping pills as he was having trouble sleeping.”
Experts have pointed out that Zirajewski’s death came after he had tried to get his sentence reduced by offering more information on Papala’s murder.
“He had made two similar proposals beforehand: both were rejected - in February and then June. The last one was submitted to the court November 19,” said Przemyslaw Banasik, a spokesman for the Gdansk district court.
Zirajewski is the latest of a number of people linked to high-profile murder cases to die in suspicious circumstances.
Three people involved in the kidnap and murder of businessman Krzysztof Olewnik have died, and a criminologist has claimed that 10 people connected to corruption cases had died from having “little accidents” or committing suicide.
posted by BEING HAD at 4:47 PM
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