The incident took place on 5 August 2003 at one of the warehouses in Jelenia Góra. The accused, together with three other identified individuals whose culpability has been established by final court judgments, surrounded the warehouse owner and then fired at least six shots from a 9 mm handgun and no fewer than four shots from a 5.6 mm firearm, causing the victim extensive injuries in the form of gunshot wounds to the upper and lower limbs, the back in the lumbar region, and the chest, resulting in his death.
After the crime, Rafał Z. fled Poland and hid in various countries, frequently changing his places of residence and using false personal details. During that time, he was wanted under an arrest warrant, an Interpol Red Notice and a European Arrest Warrant. The perpetrator was arrested in Spain. At the time of his arrest, he claimed to be a Romanian citizen.
The accused did not plead guilty to the offences with which he was charged. He gave explanations.
At the request of the District Prosecutor’s Office in Jelenia Góra, the District Court imposed pre-trial detention on Rafał Z.
The psychiatric experts who examined the accused determined that, at the time of the alleged offences, he had fully retained the ability to understand the significance of his actions and to control his conduct.
For the offences with which he is charged, classified under Article 148 § 1 of the Penal Code, in conjunction with Article 191 § 2 of the Penal Code, in conjunction with Article 11 § 2 of the Penal Code, as well as Article 263 § 2 of the Penal Code, he faces a sentence of 8 to 25 years’ imprisonment or life imprisonment.
The accused had previously been convicted.
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