October 30th, 2012: More Interrogation Controversy

The BKV hearing on the Tuesday, October 30^th, 2012 presented the testimony from Ottó Lelovics, the former campaign manager and public relations specialist to main defendant Miklós Hagyó. 

Lelovics’ testimony has been rather consistent with those given by the other defendants: he was subjected to threats of harsher treatment from the interrogators unless he provided appropriately placed accusations.

Also like the other suspects Lelovics pleaded innocent of forcing any BKV employee to sign feckless contracts.  In fact, according to the former campaign manager he was never employed by BKV nor any other public company and he committed no crimes, unless you count the three unregistered bullets in his home which were discovered by police when they searched his home.  Accounting for those, he said that they were encased in remembrance of a deceased hunter.   

During the hearing Lelovics recalled how he was contacted while at his parents’ vacation home by a phone call from the investigators.  Thereafter he was to make his way to meeting with the police where he was subjected to his first questioning.  According to the fifth defendant, the police searched his home and then left, but only after an eerie comment was made by one of the officers.  “Take a lot of stuff because you’ll be in for a long time,” is what Lelovics said he heard. 

Months later, the suspect was required to undergo another period of interrogation, but he said this time the environment and circumstances were much more intimidating.  Lelovics claimed, “In the center of the city during broad daylight they handcuffed me, they leased me, and we were standing there for an hour.”

After this, the former public relations specialist was placed in pretrial detention where he remained for another six months.

Similarly to the primary defendant, Miklós Hagyó, Lelovics arrived in court with BKK merchandise.  While showing the court the items which included playing cards, bags, and pens, Lelovics inquired to the court to consider the necessity of producing such marketing material when BKK and BKV have a monopolistic hold on the public transportation industry.  Like Hagyó, Lelovics demanded to know how could contracts with companies which were improving the technology of the public transport be considered wasteful spending when one considers the incurred cost of producing the marketing merchandise.

Lelovics concluded his testimony by providing a quote from the former mayor of Budapest Demszky Gábor: “It was a composed and planned series, which was made for a political purpose and they have achieved that purpose.  I think it’s unforgivable, that they mired dozens of people and they suspected them and they have denigrated them.


Source: http://thehagyocase.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/october-30th-2012-more-interrogation-controversy/