Convicted Fraudster Kočner Denies Ordering Murder of Investigative Journalist Kuciak in Court Testimony

Marian Kočner, a convicted fraudster currently serving a prison sentence, testified before a Slovak court that he never ordered the murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak nor provided money for the killing. Kočner appeared in court as part of ongoing proceedings related to the high-profile assassination case. Kuciak, an investigative reporter for the Aktuality.sk news website, was murdered along with his fiancée Martina Kušnírová at their home in February 2018. The double murder sparked massive public protests and led to the resignation of then-Prime Minister Robert Fico's government. Kočner had been investigated by Kuciak for his business dealings and alleged connections to political figures, making him a key suspect in the case that shocked Slovakia and drew international attention to press freedom issues in the country.